Could you tell Beacon Hill?

State lawmakers back suit against Glendale casino

PHOENIX -- Thirteen Arizona lawmakers have hopped on board a lawsuit aimed at stopping the Tohono O'odham Nation from building a Las Vegas-style casino in Glendale.

Republican State Sen. Russell Pearce is leading the charge. He says the state has a compact with Native American tribes that specifies no more casinos in Maricopa County.

"You violate that, it opens the floodgates for casinos all over the state, potentially," Pearce said Thursday as he and a dozen other Republicans announced they have filed a motion to intervene in a federal court suit filed by the city of Glendale.

"I think it's destructive," Pearce said. "There's evidence out that shows the cost for every dollar these casinos bring in costs the taxpayers about 2.1 dollars in social costs. It's a dangerous thing."



NO KIDDING? COULD YOU TELL BEACON HILL?



He also noted the proposed casino site is across the street from a high school.

Three separate lawsuits have been filed trying to stop the Tohono O'odham from getting reservation status for 54 acres of land it purchased years ago in the area of Westgate and the University of Phoenix Stadium, home to the Arizona Cardinals. Arizona law restricts casinos to reservation land. The 54 acres is miles from the Tohono O'odham reservation proper, which is located west of Tucson. [Casino Shopping, anyone?]

The suits were filed by the city of Glendale, the Gila River Indian Community and three individual members of the Gila River Indian Community.

Supporters of the casino in Glendale claim it is allowed under a law signed by President Reagan in 1986.