Vol. 4, No. 6, June 2008
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Idaho tribes plan two casinos for tourism
Idaho’s Shoshone-Bannock Tribes will replace their high stakes bingo hall and casino north of Pocatello with a $90 million destination resort that includes a 200-room hotel, convention center, golf course and water park. They will also open a “satellite” casino on the Fort Hall Reservation this fall. Near Interstate 15, both are meant to take advantage of growing southeast Idaho tourism.
The tribes broke ground last month on the $5 million Blackfoot Satellite C-Store Casino. Tribal funds will pay for the 100-slot project. It is due complete in September.
Tribal officials met recently with potential investors, including Key Bank and Merrill Lynch, to discuss funding the larger project, which will have 1,300 slots. Construction will start in 2009. When it is completed in 2011, the nearby existing casino may be converted to a community center.
The two casinos will create 300 new jobs. They will also help diversify the 5,000-member tribes’ agricultural economy.
