Beyond the fears, there are advantages to STEP

June 7 and 8 were a couple of banner days for the Spokane Tribe of Indians.

On June 7, they received word they had been designated a Promise Zone by the federal government, a move putting them near the top of the list when they apply for economic development grants and other assistance.

The next day, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee concurred with a 2015 U.S. Department of the Interior ruling that the tribe’s casino project should move forward despite opposition from the Spokane County Commissioners, Greater Spokane Incorporated and other local special interest groups. Inslee and Interior agreed that STEP did not impact the mission of Fairchild Air Force Base, at least none that couldn’t be solved through mitigation measures.

Inslee and Interior listed a number of reasons to back their rulings, including an environmental impact study and essentially named names of several top Air Force officials who agreed impacts to Fairchild would be insignificant, something opponents never did to support their argument.

In reality, the decision whether Fairchild remains open or closed is out of local hands, despite all of the well-placed efforts to ensure its continued existence. STEP could have been denied, local officials could institute all the protection measures they can find, and Fairchild could still be placed on the base closure list.

There are a lot of factors Fairchild has going for it that would keep it off that list. And besides, winning the Omaha Trophy, the military’s “Super Bowl” has to stand for something.

We hope both sides reconcile and move forward, because now exists the possibility for something pretty cool on the West Plains. The city of Airway Heights will be the prime beneficiary of STEP because traffic will not only pass through the city from the west, but also from the east to the new casino and businesses the Spokane’s recruit for their development.

This will cause a big impact in Airway Heights, particularly with traffic, so plans are needed to mitigate any negative effects.

The Spokane’s casino will also impact the current gaming house to the east — Northern Quest Resort and Casino. The Kalispel Tribe has done a fantastic job, really doing a lot of the heavy lifting as it were, in providing not only a place for gaming, but also a first-rate destination resort and an excellent venue for top entertainment and conventions on the West Plains.

Their recent purchase and restoration of the venerable Spokane Club Golf Course will only augment what they have to offer at NQR.

The addition of the Spokane Tribe’s casino will likely cause a falloff in gaming revenue for the Kalispels, at least at first. But you run a better race if someone is chasing you than if you are running alone, so having two first-class casino/resorts on the West Plains should encourage a more aggressive business model for both.

Both will need to think outside the Spokane County/Northern Idaho box in order to attract business, and that’s a win-win situation for them and for the area economically. There are numerous examples on how that can be done.

And, there will also be social impacts — elements of gaming that seem to have been overlooked in the hubbub about Fairchild. There are people, families, who have left public assistance and prospered because they found employment at NQR, while there are others who have seen their financial lives ruined by gaming.

The same will apply to the Spokane’s casino. The Kalispels have been gracious donors to a variety of area charities and programs, and we think the Spokanes will do the same.

Finally, once completely built out, STEP should be an economic benefit to the region. Yes, they will be service-area jobs, but with the continued development of the health industry, and focus on recruiting companies in other industries, Spokane County can perhaps begin to move away from putting all its economic eggs in two or three large baskets.

This, while not making the area recession-proof, could reduce our reliance on a few large employers. And that could alleviate the fear of what might happen should one of those large economic engines disappear.