SPOKANE — The Spokane Tribe has won approval from the federal government in its effort to build an off-reservation casino in Airway Heights.
The Spokesman-Review reports that the U.S. Department of the Interior told Gov. Jay Inslee in a letter that the project is in the best interests of the tribe and not harmful to the surrounding community.
The agency has not announced its decision, but several state lawmakers released a letter Monday criticizing it. Some worry the casino would be built too close to Fairchild Air Force Base, a dominant economic engine for the Inland Northwest.
Inslee’s spokesman said the governor received a notice from the federal agency but declined to comment on what it said until the office had a chance to study it.
Spokane Tribal Council Chairman Rudy Peone said it’s gratifying to get the Interior Department’s approval. He says the tribe wants to create jobs and economic opportunities.
