The Village of Eklutna is feverishly rushing work at the site where the group plans a casino to be built this year in Anchorage. Without notification to the neighbors in Birchwood, construction has ramped up, even at night, and makeshift buildings have been moved to the site. Slot machines are sitting in wrapping material.
The Alaska Landmine was first to report this story.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs quietly gave the village a lightning speed “go-ahead” on Thursday, without announcing it publicly, and since courts are closed on Monday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, no court action can be taken to stop the construction. It’s unclear how the village was able to get building, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, fire code, and other permits in one day when even for a small residential home it takes weeks or months.
“On January 16, 2025, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) signed a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) and issued a Final Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Eklutna Native Village (Tribe) Gaming Facility Project. The Final EA was completed in accordance with requirements set forth in the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA; 42 United States Code [USC] §4321 et seq.), the 2024 Council on Environmental Quality regulations for Implementing NEPA (40 CFR § 1500 et seq.), and the BIA NEPA Handbook (59 Indian Affairs Manual 3-H), and assesses the environmental impacts that could result from the BIA’s approval of a business lease between the Native Allotment landowners and the Eklutna Native Village tribal government for the development and operation of a class II gaming facility (Proposed Action). The Project Site is located in the unincorporated community of Chugiak within the boundaries of the Municipality of Anchorage, Alaska,” the decision said, listing Chugiak inaccurately.
Eight residents nearby in Birchwood filed a lawsuit in December challenging the approval of the casino and the work being done this weekend appears to be an attempt to “grandfather” in the major development by being able to show the court that the casino was operational before the new administration could stall the controversial ruling.
The Native Village of Eklutna is in partnership with Marnell Gaming of Las Vegas, one of the major casino companies in the world. Marnell plans to build and operate the casino for the village, which is inside the municipality of Anchorage.
It becomes more clear why Mayor Suzanne LaFrance on Jan. 3 issued a letter of support for the casino to the BIA. She appears to have known about the plan to move ahead with work and start a casino operating in the city next week, in temporary trailers. The public comment period ended Jan. 9, and the decision by the BIA came just one week later, which may set a land record for speed on an environmental impact decision from the federal government.
The mayor, who appears to have secretly coordinate the work without including the community of Birchwood or notifying the Birchwood Community Council, is allowing the construction to violate the city’s noise ordinance, which says construction noise is permitted between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday, with even more limitations on Sundays and holidays.
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