Batt Concedes Gambling Was Tribe’s Best Bet

Coeur d’Alene tribal leaders laid out the history of why they got into the gambling business this week, and even Gov. Phil Batt was impressed.

David Matheson, tribal gaming chief executive, told how early tribal business ventures, from a sawmill to a construction company, turned into economic failures.

“For a tribe to get involved in those with limited experience, undercapitalized, and try to find a niche in the market is just impossible,” he said.

Political problems also interfered. At one point, a bank called in all the tribe’s loans after being told, mistakenly, that tribes didn’t have to make good on their debts if they didn’t want to.

Tribal leaders stepped back and started preparing for economic development. Basics like roads and schools took precedence.

According to Greg Siebert of the Idaho Department of Commerce, the tribal leaders now have “probably the best economic development plan in the state.”

The tribe opened a bingo hall because it was a business in which the tribe had a competitive advantage - the legal ability to conduct gaming - that outweighed its major disadvantage for business ventures - remote location.

When the hall opened, it had 96 employees, 90 of them tribal members.

“They were very nervous,” Matheson said. Some had never worked in a job where they had to do things like greet the public.

“Some people who started off at the lowest levels now are supervisory or even executive people in our operation.”

The casino at Worley now employs 210 people, and the tribe is preparing for a $12 million expansion designed to make the facility look like a classy mountain resort.

With the Kalispel Tribe and giant Carnival cruise lines pursuing plans for a $17 million casino in Airway Heights, Wash., “we’d better look like we’re serious contenders in the marketplace,” Matheson said.

Though it includes plans for a new hotel, larger dining and gaming areas and a theater, Matheson said the expansion won’t mean more gambling machines - at least not until the governor’s gaming study committee completes its work.

That committee has been deadlocked over the simple issue of defining what currently exists as far as gaming in Idaho. In October, the committee will try to develop a recommendation to Batt.

The committee is split between those who view all gambling as immoral, and those who favor things like the state lottery and tribal gambling as money-makers for good causes.

“Some people tell us that it’s immoral, that it’s wrong, that it’s evil,” Matheson said. “We’re not really comfortable with that.”

“In our culture and tradition, we have always had the gaming.” He added, “As we look back in time, there was a place in history when we were saying what people were doing to the Earth was wrong.”

Gov. Batt recalled going to the Spokane Indian reservation at Wellpinit many years ago to watch traditional tribal stick games. “Nobody thought that was immoral,” he said.

Matheson said the Coeur d’Alenes view gaming as a means to economic success and are investing gaming proceeds into education and other businesses to ensure the tribe’s future.

Batt was impressed. “All you’ve done is want to increase the opportunities for your tribal members and your young people,” he said. “I have no quarrel with that whatsoever.”

They’re calling all candidates

When Idaho Democrats held a rally in Boise this week, they passed out little blue cards for the 300 or so who attended and asked each to fill in who they thought should run for governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, state treasurer, state superintendent of schools and legislative seats.

Does this suggest the Demos don’t have anyone for those offices?

State party executive director Karen White said there are plenty of candidates considering runs. The D’s just want to get their members involved, she said.

, DataTimes