By First Class Mail 

Stephen Lewis. Governor 

Gila River Indian Commmiity 

Clo Gila River Gaming Commission 

5359 North 4gch Street, Suite 120 

Chandler, AZ 85226 

April 24, 20 l 7 

Re: Gila River Indian Community Gaming Ordinance Amendments, 

Ordinance GR-06-16 

Dear Governor Lewis: 

This letter responds to your January 25, 2017 request on behalf of the Gila River 

Indian Community for the National Indian Gaming Commission to review and approve 

the Commtmity's amendments to its gaming ordinance. The amendments were adopted 

by the Commw1ity's Tribal Council in Ordinance GR-06-16. The amendments execute a. 

wholly revised Gaming Ordinance. 

Thank you for bringing these amendments to our attention and for providing us 

with a copy. These amendments are approved as they are consistent with the 

requirements of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act and the NIGC's regulations. If you 

have any questions or require anything further, please contact Staff Attorney Rea 

Cisneros at 202-632-7003. 

Sincerely, 

cc: Jaclyn Johnson, The Rothstein Law Firm (via e-mail at: jrjohnson@rothsteinlaw.com) 

NEW MAILING ADDRESS: NIGC/DEPARTM£NT Of THE INTERIOR 1849 C Street NW, Moil Stop# 162l Woshin91011. DC 20240 Tel: 202.632.7003 fox: 202.632.7066 

REGtONALOFFICIS Portland, OR; Sacramento, CA; Phoenix, AZ; St. Poul, MN; Tvho OK; Oklahoma City, OK 

WWW.NIGC.GOV 
GILA RIVER INDIAN COMMUNI1Y 

SACATON, AZ 85147 

ORDINANCE GR-06-16 

THE GILA RIVER INDIAN COMMUNITY COUNCIL HEREBY AMENDS THE GILA 

RIVER INDIAN COMMUNITY CODE BY RESCINDING GAMING ORDINANCE GR08-09 AND ITS SUBSEQUENT AMENDMENTS; AND ENACTING THE AMENDED 

TITLE 22, CHAPTERS 1-12 

WHEREAS, the economic well-being and prosperity of members of the Gila River Indian 

Community (the "Community") are concerns of the highest priority to the Gila 

River Indian Community Council (the "Community Council"); and 

WHEREAS~ the Community Council is empowered by the Community's Constitution and Bylaws of l 960 to pass ordinances as necessary; and 

WHEREAS, beginning in 1994, the Community Council adopted prior Gaming Ordinances, alJ 

of which are codified in Title 22, Chapters 1-12 of the 2009 GRIC Code, after 

which the Community Council amended Title 22 by Ordinance GR-08-09 on May 

7, 2009, which was amended by Ordinance GR-12-09 on September 2, 2009, 

which was subsequently amended by Ordinance GR-07-15 on October 21 , 2015; 

and 

WHEREAS, the Community entered into a Tribal-State Gaming Compact with the State of 

Arizona under which the Community operates and regulates Class III gaming on 

the Gila River Indian Reservation on December 4, 2002; and 

WHEREAS, the Gila River Gaming Commission (the "Commission") submitted the amended 

Gaming Ordinance adopted by the Community Council pursuant to Ordinance 

GR-07-1 S to the National Indian Gaming Commission (the "NIGC") for approval 

on October 29, 2015; and 

WHEREAS, the NIGC is the regulatory agency established by Congress for Class II and Class 

III gaming, pursuant to the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, and amendments to 

tribal gaming ordinances must be approved by the Chairman of the NIGC 

pursuant to 25 U.S.C. §2710; and 

WHEREAS, the NIGC has requested additional amendments be made to the Gaming 

Ordinance in order to comply with regulations of the NIGC prior to issuing an 

approval of the Gaming Ordinance; and 

WHEREAS, the Commission withdrew its request for approval of the Gaming Ordinance from 

the NIGC in order to include the revisions requested by the NIGC; and 
GILA RIVER 11\iDIAN COMMUNITY 

ORDINANCE GR-06-16 

PAGE20F3 

WHEREAS, th~ Commission thoroughly reviewed the NIGC's requested changes to the 

Gaming Ordinance and amended the Gaming Ordinance accordingly; and 

WHEREAS, the Gila River Indian Community Legislative Standing Committee waives the 

notification requirements in Title 8, Chapter 7 of the GRIC Code because it is in 

the best interest of the Community and time is of the essence due to the fact that 

the substantive amendments approved by the Community Council pursuant to 

Ordinance GR-07-15 on October 21, 2015 went through the public comment 

process almost a year ago and the new amendments are technical changes 

requested by the NIGC; and 

WHEREAS, the Gila River Gaming Commission and the Legislative Standing Committee have 

thoroughly reviewed the attached amended Title 22 Gaming Ordinance, Chapters 

1-12, which includes the NIGC's requested changes and recommends that the 

Community Council authorize and approve the attached amended Title 22 

Gaming Ordinance of the GRIC Code. 

NOW, THEREFORE IT IS HEREBY ENACTED, that the Community Council hereby 

rescinds in its entirety Ordinance GR-08-09 and amendments which enacted the 

current Title 22 Gaming Ordinance, Chapters 1-12, and hereby approves and 

adopts the attached Gila River Indian Community Gaming Ordinance, codified as 

Title 22, Chapters 1-12 of the GRIC Code, to govern, regulate and control gaming 

activities in the Community; and 

BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, that the attached Gaming Ordinance, as amended, shall become 

effective pursuant to final approval of the Chainnan of the National Indian 

Gaming Commission and in accordance with the Constitution of the Gila River 

Indian Community, and that the rescission of Ordinance GR-08-09 and 

amendments thereto shall become effective at the same time as the attached 

Gaming Ordinance becomes effective; and 

BE IT FINALLY ENACTED, that the Community Governor, or in the absence of the 

Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, is hereby authorized to sign and otherwise 

execute all documents and to take all steps necessary to implement the intent of 

this Ordinance. 
GJ LA RJV.l::R IJl;DIAN COl\11\rn:\'ITY 

ORDINA~CE GR-06-l6 

PAGE30FJ 

CERTIFICATION 

Pursuant to authority contained in Article XV, Section 1, {a) {1), (7), (9), (18), (19), (b) (8), (10) 

and Section 4 of the amended Constitution and Bylaws of the Gila River Indian Community, 

ratified by the tribe January 22, 1960, and approved by the Secretary of the Interior on March 17, 

l 960, the foregoing resolution was adopted on the 071

h of September 2016, at a regular 

Community Council meeting held in District 3, Sacaton, Arizona at which a quorum of 14 

Members were present by a vote of: 14 FOR; !! OPPOSE; 2, ABSTAIN; LABSENT; Q 

VACANCY. 

ATTEST: 

GILA RIVER INDIAN COMMUNITY 

GOVERNOR 

RECEIVED 

PIMA AGEN(;Y 

SEP 1 2 2016 

BUREAU OF :NOW.J AFFA!f~S 

SAC1~TON ;'.RiZONA