INDIAN GAMING ASSOCIATION MIDYEAR CONFERENCE HOSTED AT THE NEWLY UPGRADED WEKOPA RESORT CASINO IN ARIZONA
government over a dam that would have flooded the reservation and forced its tribal members to relocate from their lands. The tribe gathers for the Orme Dam Victory days to celebrate this historic occasion. On October 29, 2020, the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation unveiled their upgraded resort casino, the We-Ko- Pa Resort Casino. It presents not only an upgrade to the casino floor, games, sportsbooks, and restaurants but the cultural beauty of the tribe woven into every aspect of the gaming facility. Ernie Stevens, Jr., Chairman of the Indian Gaming Association, said, “It is always such a majestic experience to visit the Fort McDowell community. Their passion for protecting the sovereign interests of their people is impressive. It is incredibly empowering to bring our tribal gaming industry to our mid-year conference and their beautiful new property to celebrate the sovereign strength of the people at Fort McDowell. While the three-day confab hosted an array of active topics and top-notch presenters on all aspects of the Indian gaming industry, it was the meeting with the member tribes of IGA that brought to the forefront the current issue to the discussion. In his opening address, Chairman Stevens shared, “It is great to be together again because we have much to celebrate and new challenges and opportunities to address as we continue our work to protect Tribal Sovereignty and
The Indian Gaming Association (IGA) presented the annual Mid-Year Conference hosted at the newly upgraded WeKoPa Resort Casino in Fort McDowell, Arizona. The conference included a significant focus on the current gaming industry landscape, critical legislative updates, the backdrop of the recent election for Indian country, honoring legendary Indian country leaders and a celebration of Native American Heritage month, and the celebration of the Fort McDowell Orme Dam Victory Days celebration. On November 12, 1981, the proposed construction of Orme Dam was declared illegal by the Federal government and the Department of the Interior. This landmark decision came after a 13-year legal battle between the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation and the state and the federal
9 | INDIAN GAMING UPDATE - OCT - DECEMBER 2022 EDITION
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