In a stirring four-hour virtual hearing hosted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs on April 24, tensions flared over the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation’s proposal to build a casino in Pasco, Washington. This contentious plan, which includes a casino, hotel, event center, and restaurants, has sparked significant opposition from neighboring tribes, stirring concerns of territorial disputes and economic impacts.
Ruth Jim, a council member of the Confederated Tribes of the Yakama Nation, emphatically voiced her opposition during the hearing, stating, “You’re going to start an Indian war.” The Yakama Nation, alongside the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR), contests the Colville’s claim to the land under treaties dating back to 1855, and argue that the new casino would negatively affect their own gambling revenues.
