Indian Gaming > Tohono O'odham Nation sues Arizona over land annexation law

Tohono O'odham Nation sues Arizona over land annexation law

Friday, February 11, 2011
Filed Under: Casino Stalker | Legislation | Litigation

The Tohono O'odham Nation has sued the state of Arizona over a new law aimed at stopping the tribe's off-reservation casino.

The law allows the city of Glendale to annex the tribe's land without the tribe's consent. Annexation would apparently prevent the Bureau of Indian Affairs from placing the land in trust.

The tribe says an act of Congress that settled its land claim trumps the state law. The federal law requires the tribe's land to be in an "unincorporated" area.

The BIA has already agreed to take some land in trust for the tribe but only those portions that have not been annexed by Glendale. The city and the Gila River Indian Community are suing to block the acquisition, with a hearing in federal court set for February 17.

Get the Story:
Tribe sues Arizona over anti-casino law (The Phoenix Business Journal 2/11)

Related Stories:
Judge sets hearing in Tohono O'odham off-reservation casino bid (2/10)
Editorial: State unfair in Tohono O'odham off-reservation casino bid (2/7)
Tohono O'odham Nation pushes for ruling on off-reservation casino (2/3)
Arizona governor signs Tohono O'odham off-reservation casino bill (2/2)
Tohono O'odham off-reservation casino bill being sent to governor (1/27)
Bill against Tohono O'odham Nation off-reservation casino passes (1/26)
Lawmakers take up Tohono O'odham off-reservation casino bills (1/25)
Lawmakers target Tohono O'odham Nation off-reservation casino (1/21)
Hearing set in Tohono O'odham Nation off-reservation casino suit (1/20)
Blog: No fairness in Tohono O'odham off-reservation casino plan (1/19)
Tohono O'odham Nation updates plans for off-reservation casino (1/13)