Two of four casinos open for business in Saskatchewan

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The Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority (SIGA) announced the official opening of the Northern Lights Casino in Prince Albert, Sask. on March 6.

The Northern Lights Casino is the second of four SIGA casinos planned for the province. The Gold Eagle Casino in North Battleford led the way by opening a week earlier.

The opening of the Northern Lights Casino marks the official kickoff of the first phase of the SIGA gaming plan. The two additional casinos will follow later with Yorkton opening in June and Whitebear in July.

The Gold Eagle Casino will provide over 70 jobs with an estimated payroll of about $2 million. The Northern Lights Casino will employ about 100 staff and will provide an annual payroll of over $2.5 million.

When fully operational all four casinos will create over 350 jobs and a payroll of over $6 million.

In addition to the casino jobs, other spin off industries such as restaurants and gift shops will create an estimated 50 to 60 jobs.

"We are pleased to see our casino opening as planned," said Federation of Saskatchewan Indian nations vice chief and SIGA chair Dutch Lerat.

"We have also received excellent co-operation from local authorities during this crucial start up period and we appreciate that," Lerat said.

"Getting to this point has been a long and arduous process that goes back to the conflict over the Bearclaw Casino at Whitebear to the negotiations with the province," said FSIN chief Blaine Favel.

The Bearclaw Casino was raided in March 1993. RCMP slapped gaming charges on White Bear Chief Bernard Shepherd and three other band members and two band corporations. They seized 100 slot machines, gaming tables and $90,000 in cash.

Later, Saskatchewan provincial court judge William Goliath threw out all the charges. He found that the Natives were innocent because they honestly believed the Criminal Code gaming provisions did not apply to on-reserve gambling.

The FSIN is currently developing an addictions counselling program to address the issue of gambling addictions, said Favel. He acknowledged that there is a potential for damage caused by gambling.