Gov. Richardson Orders Police To Block Access To Casino

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson has ordered state police to block access to a high-stakes bingo parlor built in southern New Mexico by Oklahoma’s Fort Sill Apache Tribe.

Richardson says he was forced to take action after receiving no assurances from the federal government that it would either approve or reject the tribe’s plans for a gaming operation at the site.

The federal government holds the 30-acre site at Akela in trust for the Fort Sill tribe, which has been putting up portable buildings for the bingo parlor.

Fort Sill Apache Chairman Jeff Houser has said the bingo parlor is a test for the tribe and that the tribe has no specific plans for a full-blown casino.

Richardson says the gaming operation would be considered illegal in New Mexico.

The tribe is based in Oklahoma.Federal officials are allowing them to open the facility in Southern New Mexico based on its history.

The tribe’s ancestors originally occupied the land and the government returned ownership to the tribe in 2002.

In 2006 the tribe sued for the right to have a gaming operation on the property.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.