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FARMINGTON — Navajo President Joe Shirley Jr. announced Wednesday that the Navajo Nation has entered into negotiations with a potential gaming developer.
Another step bringing the Navajo Nation closer to a casino is the establishment of the Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise. The Navajo Nation Council plans to meet next Tuesday in Window Rock, Ariz., to approve amendments to Navajo Nation laws, thus creating the new office for the purposes of gaming.
The Navajo Nation is negotiating with Basha and De Rito Hospitality, which is a collaboration of several companies, including the Arizona grocery chain store Bashas, a press release states. De Rito Partners Development Inc. is the third-largest retail brokerage and commercial development company in the Phoenix metropolitan area.
In addition, one of the companies that is part of the consortium of companies is Jenkins Entertainment Group, which has helped develop other Indian casinos.
According to Jenkins' Web site, the group has helped develop the River Rock Casino for the Dry Creek Band of Pomo Indians in California, the Apache Gold Resort Casino for the San Carlos Apache in Arizona. It also helped manage or build other Indian casinos.
Shirley said he wants to help Navajo people continue with the development of gaming.
"With our Navajo people's approval of gaming in 2004, I am committed to ensure that casinos are developed on the Navajo Nation," Shirley said in the release.
George Hardeen, communications director for the president, said that Shiprock remains a viable site for a future casino, but the nation is planning to open its first casino in Navajo, Ariz., about 55 miles west of Gallup on Interstate 40. No official opening date for the casino has been decided yet, Hardeen added.
News about an Arizona chapter having the first Navajo casino is nothing new, Hardeen said.
"The president still thinks (Shiprock) is an excellent location. But it's still one step at a time," he said.
In a December interview with The Daily Times, before an initial gaming site was selected, Shirley said Shiprock seemed the most ready for gaming development. Then, during the Navajo Nation's spring council session, Shirley announced Nahata Dziil Chapter as the first site for Navajo Gaming.
"It's been a meticulous process, but casinos are expected to generate up to millions in new revenue for the nation's coffers, create hundreds of new jobs, increase tourism and promote ancillary business," Shirley said.
Basha and De Rito was one of 21 companies that submitted a proposal to be a gaming consultant for the Navajo Nation. Once chosen, the consultant is to help the tribe plan and develop a casino and related projects.
Members from the Navajo Nation negotiation team and Jenkins Entertainment were unavailable for comment Wednesday.
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