New Mexico Casino Denial Not The End, According To Tribe

"From what I'm hearing, it's not really a dead issue. There's still some chance this could be turned around," said Kent Evans,

An Indian tribe who was trying to build a casino on off reservation land has been denied by the United States Interior Department. The tribe, however, claims this is not the end of the line for their efforts.

Last week, the Interior Department ruled that the tribe was too far away from the proposed site of the casino they wanted to build. The distance between the tribe and the proposed site is 293 miles.

"The people that advise the pueblo are still analyzing it. I think they feel it's not over and there's still an avenue there, but they have to research it," said David Wilson, a spokesman for Santa Fe art dealer Gerald Peters. Peters is a partner with Jemez Pueblo.

Anthony was the proposed site of the casino. Seventy nine acres was being sought to be put into trust so the tribe would be able to build a casino on the land. The Interior Department declined the application, saying it was to far from the tribe's reservation.

"From what I'm hearing, it's not really a dead issue. There's still some chance this could be turned around," said Kent Evans, the Dona Ana County Commission Chairman.