Wednesday, March 15, 2006

As reported by the Seattle Times: "A new tribal casino that will be the first on the Eastside and the closest to Seattle could open as early as the fall of 2007.

"The Snoqualmie Tribe's five-year quest to build a casino on 56 acres off Interstate 90 east of Issaquah cleared a big hurdle Thursday when the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs gave the land federal reservation status.

"The 600-member tribe has been waiting since 2001 for that to happen so it could create its economic engine: a 150,000-square-foot casino 27 miles from Seattle.

"Getting reservation land status means the parcel falls under tribal authority and is generally exempt from state laws.

"…It will be the newest addition to tribal gaming in the Puget Sound region, which has casinos operated by the Tulalip, Puyallup and Muckleshoot tribes…"