NESPELEM, Wash.- The Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation have submitted an application for a fee-to-trust transfer of property in Pasco, the official first step towards opening a casino on Tribal land in the city.
The Tribes have been working on the project since 2019 and submitted the application to the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) in Portland according to a press release announcing the application.
“We’re pleased to announce this important milestone in our efforts to enhance economic development for the Colville Tribes,” Colville Business Council Chairman Jarred Michael Erickson said.
Submitting the application begins a 16-step federal process for the transfer of off-reservation tribal fee property to trust status according to today’s press release. Additional processes and regulations are also required by the BIA and the Department of the Interior because the land in Pasco is intended for a gaming facility.
