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Study
reports high income to planned
N.M. casino employees
October 1
In New Mexico, a
tribal casino that would
reportedly create some 950 jobs
is cause for great debate. The
casino planned to be in Anthony
is said be boosting an average
yearly salary of about $29,000
for those would be employees.
The
results of the study
brought-on by Gerald
Peters, a developer in Santa Fe,
and Jemez Pueblo, who came up
with the original plans for the
casino, were announced Wednesday.
The study
approximated that the casino would
attract about 2.7 million
visitors each year and would
infuse $30 million into the
local economy annually. The
study was performed by GVA Marquette
Advisors, a company based out of
Minnesota.
The report
states that
700 slot machines are now in
service to an
El Paso-Juarez population of 2.2
million people, and that Sunland
Park Racetrack and Casino is the
only gambling facility located in Dona Ana County.
The study
says that if a new
casino is approved and
constructed, the area
would have 2,235 slot machines,
less than 1/3 of
Albuquerque's market, which has
a much smaller population.
Betty
Gonzalez, who lives in Anthony
and attended the meeting that
announced the results of the
study, said she is in support of the opportunities the
casino could bring to the area.
Federal
law permits an Indian pueblo to
construct a casino off its
reservation only if the Interior
Department is influenced that the
casino will benefit the pueblo
and not be unfavorable to
residents of the area around the
casino. The Governor of New
Mexico also must support the casino.
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