Casino Reopens After Seizure Threat

An Apache casino reopened two months after it was forced to close or face government seizure of its gambling equipment. Three federal court rulings in the past year have found that 11 Indian casinos in New Mexico were illegal because the state-tribal compacts authorizing them were invalid. The Mescalero casino was the first to shut down in the face of a threat by U.S. Atty. John Kelly to seize its slot machines, gaming tables and other equipment and bank accounts. The U.S. attorney’s office has backed off on that threat since courts have allowed the other casinos to remain open while appeals are pending. The Mescalero casino called back 350 workers.