UPDATED AT 7:49 P.M.: Gaming at Red Wolf Golf Club?

ASOTIN — Asotin County officials have been notified that the Nez Perce Tribe wants to put 89 acres at Red Wolf Golf Club just west of Clarkston “in trust.”

According to a letter from the U.S. Department of the Interior, the land will no longer be on the county tax rolls if the application is approved, and gaming is listed as a proposed land use.

County officials — including the three commissioners, sheriff, prosecutor, planner, fire chief and treasurer — held a brief workshop Tuesday afternoon to discuss the proposal and what it could mean for area businesses, residents and emergency services.

Commissioner Chuck Whitman said he is lining up a meeting with the tribe early next week to learn more about the plans for Red Wolf Golf Club.

“The big issue is zoning,” Whitman said. “We are trying to find out if they have their own zoning rules and can do whatever they want, basically.”

When reached by the Tribune on Tuesday evening, Shannon Wheeler, chairperson of the Nez Perce Tribal Executive Committee, said the tribe is exploring potential sports betting, card games and placing a few machines at Red Wolf.

“We really want to work with the county,” Wheeler said. “We’re here as partners and friends. The process is long and arduous to convert the property to trust land, which has to take place before we even consider gaming.”

The Nez Perce Tribe supports many programs in Asotin County through its philanthropic work, the chairman said. Educational funds distributed to the library, Clarkston and Asotin schools and other programs have outpaced the amount of property taxes collected on the Red Wolf property.

Asotin County would lose about $14,500 in property taxes annually if the land is put in trust.

Details of the tribe’s gaming plans haven’t been shared with the county yet, but Wheeler said he’s looking forward to talking to officials next week.

“We have no idea if they’re hoping to build a card room or a casino,” Whitman said earlier in the day.

Commissioner Chris Seubert said the potential tax loss is a big concern, along with how gaming competition could affect Clarkston card rooms, such as the one at Lancer Lanes on Bridge Street.

Because the tribe doesn’t have to pay taxes, it would give Red Wolf an unfair advantage over other businesses, Seubert said.

“If I was a businessman, and I used to be one, I’d go sideways over this,” Seubert said. “In my own personal opinion, anyone who comes into Asotin County should have to pay their fair share.”

The Nez Perce Tribe purchased the golf club six years ago. At the time, tribal leaders said it would continue to be a top-flight golf course for generations to come. The tribe’s presence in Asotin County was lauded as an economic driver and positive move for the community by Kermit Mankiller, former CEO of Nez Perce Tribal Enterprises.

In a 2019 Tribune article, Mankiller said there were no plans to build a large casino on the property, but gaming in some form was a possibility.

That still holds true, Wheeler said. If the application goes through, the golf course and gaming options would complement the Clearwater River Casino north of Lewiston and feature the tribe’s legendary hospitality, he said.

In 1805, the tribe helped save Lewis and Clark and the Corps of Discovery, and 220 years later, the Nez Perce are still focusing on hospitality — and economic prosperity for the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley, Wheeler said.

“We believe wealth is meant to be distributed and not hoarded,” the chairman said. “Red Wolf Golf Club adds commerce to the valley. When the tribe comes to town, we bring a lot of positive energy, contributions, visitors and employment opportunities. Everyone would benefit from our marketing power, which is a strength we have.”

In an email to Whitman on Thursday afternoon, the tribe said several leaders are eager to meet with the county as soon as possible. Tribal representatives were ready to talk last Friday, but Whitman said the county didn’t have enough notice to get it set up.

“We greatly value your time and consideration and believe this discussion is an important step forward,” said the email from Marsan Lawyer of the Nez Perce Tribal Executive Committee.

At the workshop, Sheriff John Hildebrand said contracts for law enforcement and emergency services likely would have to be worked out. Others suggested residents in west Clarkston and junior taxing districts should be notified about the proposal. The golf course is located just outside of Clarkston’s city limits in a residential area near U.S. Highway 12 and the Snake River.

“We don’t have any way to stop this because it’s legal,” Commissioner Brian Shinn said. “The only push back would have to come from the public.”

Sandaine can be reached at kerris@lmtribune.com.