Indian Casinos

The largest Native American tribe is the Navajo, with about 300,000 members , reside in Northeastern Arizona, Utah, and New Mexico and to date only have one casino in New Mexico. To be brought up to current times, the Navajo tribe should establish a second casino in Arizona for economic, social and political reasons.

Investing in the gambling industry would allow Navajos to venture in other businesses, and could estimate $100 million year in revenue to their reservation. Generally, Native American reservation casinos operate in more than twenty states generating revenues in the billions. Tribes that have invested in the casino industry have seen significant boosts in their economies, which the Navajo nations have not seen for years.

Establishing a casino on the reservation would allow Navajos to venture in other businesses such as constructing a clean coal technology power plant,which is estimated to bring $37 million to the tribe. Currently, the Navajo nation makes money though selling handmade crafts near major highways and tourist attractions. They hold several valuable resources such as coal and uranium, which had contributed to the Navajo economy before. Consequently, uranium market had slowed down and the dust from the coal mines had made the people sick. With the profits they will make from the casinos, the Navajos can distribute the money to their people build better roads, schools, hospitals, and increase of employment. The negative affects of economic success are few.

“When a business makes money on Navajo, the Navajo people make money… that’s the key to developing an economy.”

-President Shirley of the Navajo Nation

Participating in the casino industry, there tends to be an increase of organized crime and gambling addiction. There is also often times tensions within the tribe of how to spend the money and whether it is evenly distributed. However, I believe that there is always potential for those problems to occur, but by creating a trusted financial committee and allowing members to vote what type of improvements should be made, then the tribe would not have to worry about these problems.

In creating such a large tourist attraction, many believe that tribes lose their culture by selling their traditional items to tourists. Thus, I believe that the tribe should teach tourists about their culture by creating a museum. For example, the Mashantucket Peguot own Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut. Their casino has a museum that displays their traditions, history, and culture. In effect, this gives tourists a better understanding of the culture. For the Navajo, they can create a smaller museum and if tourists want to learn more then can promote the museum they have. Other social factors to be considered are the welfare of the people.

Since the shutting down of coal mines, it had became evident that the dust from the coal was endangering the health of the Navajo people. Such side effects were cancer and the increase of birth defects. Thus all of this can be prevented by providing better hospitals and technology to prevent the dust from the coal.

Political power can be gained through casino revenues. According to