Kalispel Tribe Sues Federal Government Over Casino Approval

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — The Kalispel Tribe is suing the U.S. government over its approval of a rival casino project by the Spokane Tribe in the lucrative Spokane gambling market.

The Kalispel Tribe filed a lawsuit Tuesday against the U.S. Department of the Interior for giving the Spokane Tribe a rare approval for an off-reservation casino located about two miles (3.2 kilometers) from the Kalispel's Northern Quest Casino.

The new casino "will have a devastating impact on Northern Quest, which funds nearly all of the Kalispel Tribe's government operations," said the lawsuit filed in federal court in Spokane.

The lawsuit said federal law requires the Interior Secretary to consider the detrimental impacts of a new casino on nearby Indian tribes.

The Spokane Tribe contends the Kalispels are seeking to avoid "fair competition."