Indian Gaming > Thousands flock to Navajo Nation casino opening

November 20, 2008

Thousands flock to Navajo Nation casino opening

A reported 4,000 people showed up to the first casino owned by the Navajo Nation on Wednesday.

The Fire Rock Casino near Gallup, New Mexico, only has space for 1,800 so lots of customers were left waiting. "It's so crowded," spokesperson George Hardeen told the Associated Press. "It's quite phenomenal."

The tribe financed the facility on its own after considering outside sources. Hardeen said 92 percent of employees are tribal members.

The casino is at a temporary site for now.

Get the Story:
Navajos open tribe's first casino (AP 11/19)
Who will police the new Fire Rock Casino? (The Gallup Independent 11/19)