Part 1 - Look Who's Cashing In At Indian Casinos - Hint: It's not the people who are supposed to benefit

Part 2 - Playing the Political Slots - How Indian casino interests have learned the art of buying influence in Washington
Money Talks
Tax Dollars at Work
California Scheming
Nightmare Neighbors
A Tale of Two Tribes

Short Articles

Facts

Indian casinos are overloading other communities across the country.  One exacerbating factor: because of tribal sovereignty, if a casino overwhelms local emergency services, draws down the local water supply or pollutes the environment, local authorities have no recourse.  Tom Frederick, who owns a small vineyard north of the casino, found that out the hard way.  For years, as sewage from the casino seeped onto his property, he tried to get the Rumsey Indians to deal with the problem.  Recently the waste water drainage slowed when the tribe relined a sewage holding pond, but tribal officials will not talk to him about any damage to his property.  "They use sovereignty as a shield," he says.

After protracted negotiations, the Rumsey Band and Yolo County officials reached a tentative accord on the casino expansion.  The tribe, which views the deal as a concession, since it is a partial surrender of its sovereignty, agreed to slightly reduce the size of the expansion and pay the county more than $5 million a year for 18 years to deal with traffic, environmental and other problems.  But relations remain strained.  Bulldozers moved onto the Rumsey reservation and began clearing land even before the county board had approved the agreement.