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- By Tribal Business News Staff
- Gaming
An embattled gaming hall proposed by the Native Village of Eklutna has received an endorsement from the mayor of Anchorage, even as the state’s governor petitions the incoming Trump administration to revoke its approval.
The Chin’an Gaming Hall, planned for a 6.5-acre plot on the outskirts of Anchorage, has received the support of Mayor Suzanne LaFrance, who cited a potential bevy of new jobs and other economic benefits in comments to Alaska Public Media (APM).
“We believe that there would be a spillover effect too, that would boost surrounding businesses, hotels and workers,” LaFrance told APM.
The Chin’an Gaming Hall is a potential flashpoint for Indian gaming in Alaska. The Eklutna tribe began pursuing the hall in Feb. 2024 after the Interior Department reinterpreted Alaskan land laws to expand Native jurisdiction over tribal lands in the state. By August 2024, per prior Tribal Business News reporting, the tribe received preliminary approval from the National Indian Gaming Commission. In December, Interior published its environmental assessment, which found no significant concerns, according to LaFrance.
Nearby property owners have opposed the gaming hall, while Gov. Mike Dunleavy has included revoking any approvals for the hall on a list of requests to President-elect Donald Trump. In December, the property owners filed a lawsuit against NIGC acting chair Sharon Avery to stop the gaming hall’s construction, according to a legal document.
One of the litigants, Brian Hall, told APM the gaming hall runs the risk of driving away wildlife and impacting the surrounding community.
“We are a close-knit neighborhood,” he said. “If the casino gets developed, it will change the whole environment of the neighborhood.”
Eklutna Village President Aaron Leggett said he was “disappointed” by the lawsuit, according to a report from station KTUU, but committed to working with project stakeholders toward mutual benefit.
“We want to work with all stakeholders, including neighbors of the project, to make a potential gaming hall a beneficial project in every possible way,” Leggett said.
