Airway Heights formally approves annexation of Spokane Tribe’s STEP land
News from our SR West Plains bureau: the City of Airway Heights announced on Friday it's formally annexed the 145 acres the Spokane Tribe hopes to use to develop its Spokane Tribe of Indians Economic Project (STEP).
Which would be a casino and eventual resort, if the Department of Interior approves the request to use trust land for a gaming business.
Airway Heights Mayor Patrick Rushing said the annexation, which received unanimous support from the Airway Heights City Council, marks a major milestone in the city’s vision for future growth and economic sustainability.
He said: “The Spokane Tribe’s STEP Project is a smart development that is compatible with land-use regulations in Airway Heights and does not encroach on Fairchild Air Force Base.”
Critics have seen otherwise. Many have said the proposal would potentially create encroachment that would cause the Air Force to alter flight paths, and possibly even reduce the Fairchild Air Force Base mission.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs is continuing to review the proposal.