A community divided

A federal judge will soon decide whether future plans for the Spokane Tribe Casino will be put on hold as a lawsuit brought by the Kalispel Tribe continues.

The Spokane Tribe took its first steps toward a long-term goal of a large casino resort estimated at $400 million in 2016 when it broke ground on a $40 million casino project. The site is located two miles west of the Northern Quest Resort and Casino, owned and operated by the Kalispel Tribe since 2000.

The Spokane Tribe has long considered the 145 acres of land to be used in its resort construction to be part of its aboriginal territory.

In the civil suit, originally filed in 2017, attorneys for the Kalispel Tribe argue that the Bureau of Indian Affairs did not consider the detrimental effect the Spokane Tribe’s planned venture would impact the existing operations at Northern Quest, estimating a $43 million loss in revenue.

Spokane Tribe leaders and attorneys maintain that the surrounding community can support two casinos, arguing that the Department of the Interior’s decision to allow the Spokane Tribe to build in Airway Heights was correct, just as it was in 1997 when the federal agency allowed the Kalispel Tribe to build.

Spokane County is also opposed to the new casino’s location. The county filed a separate lawsuit in U.S. District Court in 2017, challenging the Department of the Interior’s finding that the casino would not be detrimental to the community and claiming the venue would present a safety hazard due to its proximity to Fairchild Air Force Base.

A June 17 summary judgement hearing puts U.S. District Court Judge Frem Nielsen in a position to make a decision on parts or all of the case prior to a jury hearing. Nielsen is expected to rule on the case this summer.

Shannen Talbot can be reached at [email protected].