Hopi tribe last in the state to sign gaming compact

Facing an "uncertain financial future" triggered by the looming closure of the Navajo Generating Station, the Hopi tribe has signed a 20-year gaming compact with the state.

Tribal Chairman Herman Honanie and Gov. Doug Ducey signed the agreement — which allows the tribe to operate or lease up to 900 machines used for gaming — on Thursday.

The tribe was the 22nd and last to ink such a deal in Arizona.

“I believe providing opportunities and a path to prosperity for our People is of the highest importance,” Honanie said in a statement. "Having a gaming compact gives our Tribe the opportunity to generate millions of dollars in much-needed revenue."

The Navajo Generating Station, a coal-fired power plant in Northern Arizona, could close as early as 2019. The reverberations from shuttering the plant could financially devastate the Hopi tribe, which has about 15,000 members.

Under the compact, the tribe can either own and operate machines on Hopi land or lease them to other tribal nations in the state. Currently, 16 Arizona tribes operate casinos while five have leasing agreements.

Tribal gaming brought in $1.9 billion from July 2016 through June, according to the Arizona Department of Gaming.

“With the prospect of the Navajo Generating Station closure on the horizon and the resulting significant loss of tribal jobs and programs, this Compact is the first major step for the Tribe to explore all of its options for future revenue,” said Verrin Kewenvoyouma, the attorney representing the tribe.

The compact awaits final approval from the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

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