Mr Bo Jangles

I wish!!!!!!!

So? What would it be like?

Firstly, I'd like to just point out to the zealous masses that have cited "grass roots" Navajos as the ones who voted down gaming.

True, they did. But, I don't think the gaming commission pushed hard enough or explained the whole operation in detail. I think it's time we had one, or several!!

We're not like the other tribes that have them, so, right off the bat, unless we're pullin down a billion plus a year or MORE....none of us will see any benefit or checks in our mailboxes anytime soon.

I do however see it as a way to compensate for all the hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars we are now standing to lose this year, with the BIA Budget Shortfalls in Washington, and with more looming large in the near future.

How can we NOT afford to put up a casino?

We DO have some hand in casinos right now. With the passing of Proposition 202, the 17 Arizona Tribes Gaming Initiative, we we're granted an allotment of so many gaming machines or what have you. Basically, that means that the tribes with no casinos, like Navajos, and Hopis and others in Arizona, actually, on paper, own slot machines or something like that. We however are allotted a certain amount of money from the other gaming tribes thru their renting our gaming rights or something to that affect.

I say, why not just throw up a casino? Why give up our machines to a neighboring tribe so they can have a bigger operation, reap the benefits of those machines and tally up the big bucks in their tribal coffers on hotels, restaurants, gas stations and retail outlets?

We're missing the big picture here, and folks need to be educated on WHERE the money is going, how it's being spent.....if the day should ever come where we'll open up a casino.

You do have two "bands" of Navajos now looking into opening small gaming ventures, one in Tohajilee (formerly Canoncito, NM) and the other, right now under discussion, by the Manuelito Chapter near the Arizona-New Mexico border, about 26 miles or so West of Gallup, NM right on Interstate 40.....a very LUCRATIVE locale if you ask me.

Gallup has almost NO APPEAL to it. Beyond the hyped up indian jewelry market, which draws ona VERY small group of passersby and locals.....it has nothing else there to draw money in.

A casino operation located that close to Gallup, would benefit BOTH Gallup AND the Navajo Nation.
As it stands, the Navajo Nation is slated to relieve up to 300 employees in the Window Rock area alone, Navajo Nation wide, it stands close to around 1,000 or so. There are approximately 8,000 tribal employees as it is now. Could we stand to take a cut in services to our Navajo people by the loss of these individuals, brought on by the lack of funding from the Federal Government and its' cutting of the BIA Budget?

I say no.

We need to make up that shortfall somehow. I think gaming is the only option we have right now.

With the looming closure of coal mines and talk of California-Edison, the huge corporation that purchases coal from our mines for creation of electricity and power for some of the Western US, possibly closing, what other options do we have?

Navajos by nature are fiercely independent nowadays, in some instances it has served us well, in others, it has only sought to divide us into smaller factions, complicating or even discouraging any forms of development, expansion or "progress" on the Navajo Nation.

A casino or several, strategically located in high traffic locales like along Interstate 40, stand to draw in a great deal of money.

Of course, everyone will cite the bad with teh good.....even stating the good is outweighed by the bad. I say, you take a chance, but, better to have tried and failed than not to have tried at all!!

Our own Tribal Undesignated Reserves are their lowest, money supposedly set aside for operation of the Tribe in lean times like this, is already depleted WELL below reason.

You have funds being pulled for idiotic ventures, why not include gaming? I do know that funding was pulled, around $2 million for scholarships......for only around like 700 or so students. What kind of scholarships are these students getting!!! Shoot, I got mine for $2,000 when I was in school.....and was told ther was no more. 2 million seems like an aweful lot to spread amongst a small group like 700.

Casinos could help to offset that, and perhaps if they planned accordingly, and stated in their initial plans that for a certain number of years, the income generated would go to a certain fund. Like for scholarships, housing development, small business and large business initiatives.

There's alot that can be done with gaming revenues.

People often cite the ills associated with gaming. Parents leaving their children home to go gamble if we had a casino.
I say......build it. The parents are already travelling two hours away to Acoma and Laguna Pueblo right now to gamble. To the White Mountains, North to Ute country, and to Farmington, NM for the small casino there.

The ills are already here, I don't think you will compound the problem by adding one MORE casino. If it's local, at least the parents are closer to home. You already have a sky rocketing problem with drugs and alcohol as it is, the problem hasn't gotten any better with the advent of places like NCI in Gallup, NM. IF they we're REALLY doing their jobs, they could clean up Gallup and there wouldn't be a single drunk on the streets. But, you have unsavory characters in Gallup, hell bent on selling their products and hooch to Navajos, so, I'm sure there's a bit of the ole' Under the table dealings going on with liqour operators and the rehab ceters. They keep one another in business.

...end of rant!!

__________________
"This next song goes out to some girls in dot com. They don't know who they are, but, it doesn't really matter anyway."




"When the God's wish to punish us, they grant our prayers."

O. Wilde

Tiyospaye Yazzie

Take a chance attitude won't really cut it especially if your running a large nation with alot of people within it. I wanted to start this thread over in the native news and issues forum but decided not to. BTW have you read the Navajo Times lately, scandelous, when will fresh new faces come up in our capital? 'Cause seem like the geezers are running this nation straight into the ground. FYI I am against it, although our nation needs the money bad, but I say look elsewhere for capitalization. Plus I just don't trust the people in our nations capital. Look at what happen to the Boys and Girls Club situation. And they want to run a casino? Recipe for diaster, as in corruption and blood quantum issues.

__________________
"I Ahula Ula"
Enjoying the ride.
BETA SIGMA EPSILON

Mr Bo Jangles

We're okay on the blood quantum issue right now. We're holding at the 1/4 th mark for being a tribal member.

Plus, if you we're to slate the money from the upchuck, and state that it's going to be used JUST FOR THIS and THIS and THIS......then you won't have the problem of trying to hand out checks to folks.

What, pray tell, are our options at this point?

Open more mines? .....thus creating MORE problems with environmental hoop de doo?

You've got the Uranium mine North of Crownpoint, the City of Gallup, NM and the Sierra Club are flat out against it...but, have very little say, as it's not on their land, but, it's an issue with them. They feel they are "downstream" of the whole mine, when in fact, the rivers and streams run NORTH to the San Juan. That's of course, not taking into account groundwater, which is SO precious a resources out here.

Coal mines? Our coal is VERY LOW GRADE, and people that use it, often have to install some very expensive buffers on their stacks to meet US EPA Requirements.....not exactly beneficial to the outsiders that would purchase our coal.

Oil and gas are limited......like so many other natural resources here. I've read thru alot of proposals when I worked for the Tribe, environmental impact statements, made my comments on them. I've seen everything from proposed cheese factories in Leupp, Sanders and other parts of the Western Navajo Agency, to turning out bath products from Sagebrush and Pinon Pine Trees.

There is very little to draw money ONTO the reservation. We certainly have tried just about every idea there is, exhausting more money than we've hope to ever make.

You have failed industries across the Navajo Nation, all examples of FAILED attempts at generating revenue.
A shoe manufacturing plant in Tohatchi, a Wool Products warehouse in Shiprock, a sawmill in Navajo, a large number of uranium mines with lots of nasty tailings piles nearby in Tuba City, Kayenta, Utah, Shiprock, Sanostee, Two Grey Hills, Lukachukai, Rock Point, Rough Rock and elsewhere. You have two active mines, one on Black Mesa, the other in the Blackhat Tsayatoh area, in addition to other mines, no longer operational nearby and in other parts of the res.

I'm not looking for gaming to solve ALL of our financial problems or burdens, or hoping that we'll be able to become the next Mashantucket Peqouts, pulling an estimated $280 thousand dollars a day on gaming revenues and other amenities.

I'm looking at it as a source for possibly venturing into other avenues, perhaps not feasible twenty years ago, but now seem somewhat lucrative.

Nothing generates money like a casino, you have a two year turn around on most casinos, and any way you cut it, it's good business.

I do agree that we do need some FRESH HEADS in Window Rock, the Council is aged and out of touch with the Navajo people, too caught up in their extended cab trucks, their rodeo/cowboy image.......even if they weigh a good 300 pds. ....caught up in their "rancher" lifestyle and figuring out how to get tickets to the INFR, PBR next year in Vegas.

They're too self-absorbed to really put any sort of effort forth to combat even the simplest of problems and ills here. But, I say stay home. Tell Pres. Shirley to sit home in his office and push the council to take action, to actually do something!!

If it was up to me, I'd have a mandatory trash pick day for the Council delegates, make them go to their respective Chapters and have them pick up trash along side the other tribal employees. It'll humble them, it'll get them out for some exercise, and it'll make them aware of WHO is out there. The council comes across as too 'distant', like Window Rock is this "place" where all the ills of the Navajo Nation don't exist.

Ever been to Window Rock to the Council? It's sickening!!
Even the younger folks there are already corrupted!! I've got friends who work there, along side the council members, either as aides or “runners” for them. I’ve seen their hopes for a better Nation go by the way side as soon as they find out they can get away with SO MUCH there.

Then you go to the former Navajo Nation Inn and see the Council members walk in for lunch or what have you and they walk in carrying PILES of papers or a briefcase or a laptop computer......as if they’re lazy keesters are gonna do any work when they’re in there!!! Then you see the Tribal Employees that walk around Window Rock in trench coats, carrying umbrella’s on a sunny day, with no sign of rain clouds for a million miles.....and they play like they’re working for some HUGE CORPORATION!!

It’s sickening!!

Granted, all that money IS tempting, and the council can only DREAM of what they could do with that money. There are ways, legalities, beyond the reach of the Council and it’s voting measures, that would make their access to the money generated, near impossible!! Like I said, you slate it for this that or the other thing.......and leave it alone.

....well, when I become Pres Tio.........we’ll clean house and fire all the lazy louts in Window Rock......ya know, just before we skip town on the Tribally rented jet on our way to PBR.

LMAO!!!!!!!

Why not try the whole casino thing? What have we got to lose that we’re not already throwing money away on right now? The spending of the Council is rampant......true? Why not just add this ONE little measure in.....and see what happens? I mean, the Navajo People are certainly USED to corruption and all sorts of shortcomings on the part of our Council.....what’s one more?

Taking chances is what makes this Country so great....be they bad or good. It's a learning process. I'm not talking about something SO risky as say, biological weapons development on the Navajo Nation!!

I'm talking ONE or TWO casino operations. Nothing major, just the casino maybe a restaurant, but, steer clear of the whole hotel stuff...THAT is risky. ....oh yeah, and a gas station.

__________________
"This next song goes out to some girls in dot com. They don't know who they are, but, it doesn't really matter anyway."




"When the God's wish to punish us, they grant our prayers."

O. Wilde

Tiyospaye Yazzie

Whether some folks like or not it's coming. And like a brush fire on a unusually hot summer day, it will spread. Wild, rampant and FEROCIOUS as nothing ever seen by a desert dwellers eyes it will engulf us all. But every fire has to end eventually, however the fire of our own greed will linger among the smoldering ashes left by our own demise. SO coming soon the great MANULITO CASINO!! and resort. Man it just frustrates me to think what Window Rock sinisters are going to do once they get hold of that money which will happen for sure, and the people, "well what about them, they got their casinos what else would they want?" I can hear one of them say. Of course all the big towns are going to get upgrades first, especially WR, and the scrapes will be thrown to the little villages that make up our nation. Truly a sad story.

__________________
"I Ahula Ula"
Enjoying the ride.
BETA SIGMA EPSILON

kiyaanii mom

I voted No, last time it was on the ballot. (Or maybe I checked Yes, cause yes means no.) Anyways, I use to be against it, because there was no clear plan with revenue targeted for use in social programs, housing, childcare, schools. etc.

But I am also aware of the the lost revenue from BIA cuts and closing mines.

The bozos in W/R are so distrusting of each other maybe they could set up the revenue plan well enough to keep each other from raiding it. I have been leaning toward voting yes. But I would feel better about it if there was a good solid revenue plan.

Let me know B.J. when you are running for council. I'll vote for you.

kiyaanii mom

When it does happen, we better put the Casino(s) in Winslow/Holbrook area or up around Page. Yeah, Gallup will be ok too. But not right down the hill from Casino USA, Albuquerque.

BurBz

besides the untrusting bozos in WR...alot of them are like "Acting Director" because so and so is under investigation!!! :lol2:


Craazzzyy....what about that deal where they wanted to purchase laptops for ALL the council members!!!??? LOL..dannngg now that was ridiculous! lol

__________________
I'm not mean, you're just a sissy! :Tongue

BurBz

oh yeah... @ the cheese factories on the rez!!! :Chatter :Chatter :Chatter

__________________
I'm not mean, you're just a sissy! :Tongue

Mr Bo Jangles

That passed. They ALL got new laptops.

Dang!! That's like enough scholarship money for, what, like a GOOD laptop will run you around.....$6,000?

That's enough of a decent $2,000 scholarship for THREE students......then multiply that by 52 council members....and probably their staff....and their kids....and their wives....and their bestest bro at Sage....and..and.....

GAH!

__________________
"This next song goes out to some girls in dot com. They don't know who they are, but, it doesn't really matter anyway."




"When the God's wish to punish us, they grant our prayers."

O. Wilde

BurBz

Omg it passed!!! holay flip!! thats crazy...and here aren't they like denying students that ARE in need of financial assistance from the scholarship office??? Thats crazy...

__________________
I'm not mean, you're just a sissy! :Tongue

Tiyospaye Yazzie

I just hope the right students are getting the scholarships. Knew this guy once at NAU that got a wad load of money fromthe Nation but ended up jus buying a pickup and boozing, for three semesters too(ayear and a summer session). And here I got a 300 dollar chapter scholarship for one whole school year, BTW they told me that chapter scholarships count as NN scholarships, so that was like 150 bucks/semester. But I thought it was better than nothing and used it towards my meal plan.
He always asking me to party too.
How could I resist, aye J/K
:D

__________________
"I Ahula Ula"
Enjoying the ride.
BETA SIGMA EPSILON

**jdazmum**

I've been somewhat in the dark for 7 years since I left the rez, but all the hype I've been hearing about our council really aggravates me. Before I joined the military, I was involved with local government issues and even tried starting a youth council to help our kids on the rez , but time and time again I had to go outside the Navajo Nation for help. I ended getting more help from some christian organizations from California then my own tribe. I worked closely with chapters affiliates, councilmans, and the people themselves. During the whole time I became so sick and tired of the same old run around, hitting dead ends, and seeing our money go to waste.

With the casino, I see our tribe using the money for their personal needs like having lunch in Gallup, buying laptops, using tribal ve