Latest on Chukchansi casino: Former U.S. gaming chief to assist tribe

Phil Hogen, a former National Indian Gaming Commission chairman, will advise the Picayune Rancheria of Chukchansi Indians on gaming regulatory issues, tribal officials announced Thursday.

Hogen works as a lawyer, with offices in South Dakota and Minnesota. He lives in South Dakota.

He served as President George W. Bush’s chairman of the commission from 2002 to 2009.

Much of Hogen’s experience is in gaming regulatory matters, such as those that led to last week’s resignations of the tribe’s three-member gaming commission and gaming commission executive director.

Potentially, Hogen could become a member of the tribe’s gaming commission, said Christian Goode, chief operating officer for Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino in Coarsegold.

He said Hogen’s “credentials and professionalism are unmatched in the industry. He is the right person to provide guidance to the tribe at this critical time.”

Tribal Chairman Reggie Lewis said that Hogen’s “independent voice is exactly what we needed to get the casino operating again and generating revenue for the tribe and providing a world-class customer experience that brings jobs and economic activity to the region.”

The hotel and casino were closed Oct. 9, 2014, following a gaming office raid that forced patrons and employees from the facility. The following day, the National Indian Gaming Commission and the state Attorney General shut down the hotel and casino.

In an interview with The Bee shortly after the casino was closed, Hogen was critical of the National Indian Gaming Commission because the tribe didn’t file its gaming audits for two years. An audit for 2013 was six months late and the 2012 audit was 18 months late when the tribal office raid occurred.

He said he would have taken action sooner if he had been in charge.

Hogen said he’s unsure why the NIGC now takes longer to file action against tribes not following gaming regulations than it did under his watch.

“Eighteen months would cry out for action,” Hogen said last October, referring to the overdue Chukchansi audits. “I don’t think we’d go more than 180 days.”

He said Thursday that he met with Chukchansi leaders earlier this week in Fresno and was accompanying them to Washington, D.C., to meet with federal officials on Friday.

“The tribe knows I’ve been around the block with respect to gaming regulation,” Hogen said. “I’m hopefully going to use some of that experience to move things forward for the tribe.”

Hogen said he could potentially serve as a member of the gaming commission, but isn’t seeking a long-term appointment.

He said the tribal council wants other top Indian gaming officials to serve on its commission as well.

“They have their sights set high, but I don’t think they have a short list at this point,” Hogen said.

This story was originally published September 24, 2015 at 11:46 AM with the headline "Latest on Chukchansi casino: Former U.S. gaming chief to assist tribe."