Shoshone-Paiute Tribe Joins Race to Build Casino Near Boise, Idaho

The Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Reservation have moved closer to their goal of building a casino in southern Idaho. Recently, the tribe finalized a deal to acquire 557 acres of land straddling Ada and Elmore counties, located south of I-84 between Mountain Home and Boise, which will serve as the site for the planned casino. This development is significant as it marks the Shoshone-Paiute’s first venture into tribal gaming, making them the only tribe in Idaho without a casino until now.

A vision for economic growth and self-sufficiency:

In collaboration with the Coeur d’Alene Tribe, who will provide significant upfront funding, the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes are preparing to create a gaming resort that will bring much-needed economic opportunities to the area. The project is expected to serve as a lifeline for a community facing high rates of unemployment and severe shortages in healthcare and housing. The Duck Valley Reservation, situated on the Idaho-Nevada border, has struggled with these issues for years, leaving many tribal members without access to basic services. The proposed casino is seen as a potential solution to these long-standing challenges.

Chairman Brian Mason of the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes expressed his optimism for the casino project, stating that it could significantly improve the community’s outlook. “I dream of a future where our members have the resources, education, healthcare, and employment opportunities they need to care for their families and preserve our way of life,” he said in a recent press release. “Today, we have no meaningful economic opportunities, and our community is facing some heavy challenges because of it. We want to solve our own problems and provide for our people. Tribal gaming will allow us to make these dreams into a reality.”

While the project’s specifics are still being developed, the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes have outlined their long-term vision for the casino. The plan includes a state-of-the-art gaming facility with the latest in tribal gaming machines, a luxury hotel, fine dining options, a spa, fitness center, and an entertainment venue. Though the exact scope of the project remains unclear, Mason emphasized that the casino will also serve the broader community by dedicating 5% of its net gaming revenue to support local schools and education programs.

A competitive landscape for Idaho’s casino development:

This proposal adds to an already competitive landscape for casino development in the region. The Shoshone-Paiute Tribe’s plan comes in the wake of a competing project by the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes, which are also seeking to build a casino near Mountain Home. The Shoshone-Bannock Tribes have a head start, with a more detailed proposal for a 500,000-square-foot casino featuring 2,000 electronic gaming machines, a hotel, restaurants, and entertainment facilities. The two projects are vying for approval from the U.S. Department of the Interior and the Governor’s Office, with only one potentially receiving the go-ahead due to the competing interests of the two tribes.

While the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes have operated several casinos in Idaho, the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes have not had the same opportunities. The Sho-Pai leadership has expressed frustration over the Shoshone-Bannock’s involvement in the Mountain Home area, an area where the Shoshone-Paiute have deep ties, with many of their members traveling to Mountain Home for essential services.

Mason voiced his concerns, saying, “The ties and the partnerships between Duck Valley Reservation and Mountain Home are much greater between our reservation than theirs. To our tribe, this seems like an overstep by a larger Indian tribe that already has gaming to come into our backyard and try to bully us.”

For the Shoshone-Paiute Tribe’s casino project to proceed, the tribe will need approval from the U.S. Department of the Interior under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, as well as the green light from the Governor’s Office. The county where the casino will be located, either Elmore or Ada, must also approve the project. Given the complexity of the approval process, which involves multiple levels of government, the timeline for the project’s completion remains uncertain.

Despite these challenges, the Shoshone-Paiute Tribe’s leadership remains optimistic. “It will be a fundamental change to the people for the better if you have revenue to put into education, healthcare and public safety,” said Chairman Mason, according to Boise Dev. “It’s for our kids and our community. These are things we need, basic stuff – and gaming is going to get us there.”