The Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska’s president championed the tribe’s opening of its first casino in Juneau during his annual State of the Tribe address Wednesday morning.
President Chalyee Éesh Richard Peterson spoke to the dozens of delegates representing 22 communities across Alaska and the West Coast. They convened for the first day of Tlingit and Haida’s 91st annual tribal assembly in Juneau.
“Opening the doors of Two Coppers was never simply about opening a casino,” he said. “It was about exercising our sovereignty, creating opportunity for our people, and building another source of sustainable revenue that can strengthen our tribe for generations to come.”
This summer, Tlingit and Haida opened its first tribal casino, Two Coppers Casino, on Douglas Island. The casino is the first and only casino in Juneau, and one of the very few operating in the state. It opened after years of planning and legal hurdles from both the state and federal government, some of which are still ongoing.
Peterson did not give an update on the tribe’s planned launch of a gambling addiction treatment program, which he mentioned at the casino’s grand opening in July.
Despite that, Peterson called the casino’s opening a historic milestone for the tribe, one that represents an investment in economic independence and tribal sovereignty. Peterson also highlighted other achievements by the tribe, including its efforts in education, landback and stewardship, and emergency disaster responses.
The assembly’s keynote speaker, David Bean, also spoke about the tribe’s casino during his address to delegates. Bean is the chairman of the Indian Gaming Association, a nonprofit advocacy organization for tribal gaming in the U.S.
“Gaming revenue can support healthcare, housing, education, public safety, elder services, youth programs, language, culture, broadband, and infrastructure,” he said. “All of which Tlingit and Haida is responsible for in many of these areas.”
Bean called on the tribe to continue to advocate for its casino and the benefits it will bring to its tribal citizens for decades to come.
The tribe’s delegates will continue to convene through this week at Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall in Juneau. The tribal assembly runs through Friday afternoon and is being livestreamed on Tlingit and Haida’s YouTube.
