Poker Writer
The new temporary casino run by the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe in Texas welcomed its first guests this week, shortly after the groundbreaking of the permanent resort.
The permanent facility is meant to be a big project that will become one of the most glamorous in the Lone Star State. It is not slated to open until 2028, but the temporary casino will scratch the itch for patrons in the meantime. The permanent facility is right across the parking lot from the temporary one. Patrons will already be familiar with the location once the permanent one opens.
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A Larger Casino Coming
The Alabama-Coushatta Tribe already has a casino in Livingston, Texas, known as the “Naskila Casino.” It is a decent-sized casino with 800 electronic games. They all fall under Class II gaming, meaning bingo powers their underlying mechanics.
But the new one in Leggett, 10 minutes to the north of Livingston, will be much larger in scope.
The temporary casino is meant to be a smaller version of the upcoming permanent casino and whet the appetite for local patrons.
Operators called the temporary facility’s grand opening a success, with more people than anticipated entering the doors. Tribal Council Chairman Ricky Sylestine commented on the opening:
With it being a soft opening, I figured we’d see a little bit of people, but not as much as I after I walked in, I saw all the people, all the machines. All the machines are taken up, so that was surprisingly good.
Tribal Monopoly in Texas
The Alabama-Coushatta Tribe is one of just three tribes in Texas federally recognized to operate casinos in one of the strictest anti-gambling states in the country. The Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas and the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo Tribe also have casinos. Both are located near the Mexican border in the western part of the state.
The Alabama-Coushatta Tribe has a bit of a monopoly in the eastern part of the state near larger population centers. Both Leggett and Livingston sit within a couple of hours of Houston. This gives the tribe the opportunity to capitalize on the new casino in the coming years.
Despite big casino companies like Las Vegas Sands trying to enter the massive Texas market in Dallas and elsewhere, the tribes still have the only legally operating casinos in Texas.
State authorities have begun policing a growing issue with illegal slot halls, though. These have become a problem in many states. A bust in the Galveston area earlier this year even ensnared a local mayor.
