City backs Tiguas' casino: Council puts gaming on legislative agenda
January 14, 2009
The council added the re-establishment of gaming at Speaking Rock to its legislative agenda and promised to help the tribe in its efforts to become economically autonomous.
Written by Gustavo Reveles Acosta , The El Paso Times
EL PASO --The Tigua reservation received the unanimous support of the City Council on Tuesday in its efforts to reopen the Speaking Rock Casino during the 81st Texas Legislature, which started Tuesday.
The council added the re-establishment of gaming at Speaking Rock to its legislative agenda and promised to help the tribe in its efforts to become economically autonomous.
"We are on the sidelines just waiting for your call to help in any way we can," Mayor John Cook said.
Speaking Rock was open for about eight years until then Attorney General John Cor nyn ordered it closed in 2002. Cornyn, now a U.S. senator, successfully argued that the casino violated Texas' anti-gambling laws.
The tribe achieved revenues of about $60 million annually when the casino was open and was able to provide housing and stipends for tribal members and to hire more than 800 people.
Efforts by local legislators to have the casino reopen have failed, but a leadership change in the Texas House of Representatives has given new hope to the tribe.
Tigua Lt. Gov. Carlos Hiza told the City Council on Tuesday that the establishment of gaming at Speaking Rock is essential to the future of the tribe and to the economic development of El Paso.
"We are neighbors. We need to strive for the future of El Paso," he said. "My people thank you. We'll be in Austin fighting for our rights."
Other topics that the City Council added to its legislative agenda included the funding and enhancement of public transportation, the relocation of freight rail lines from metropolitan areas and increased money for the Texas Recreation and Parks Account Local Park Grant Program.
Fair Use Notice
This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a "fair use" of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond "fair use", you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.