SNOQUALMIE – One down, one to go.

The U.S. Department of Interior has ratified a gaming compact between the state of Washington and the Snoqualmie Tribe, bringing a conclusion to one track of the Tribe’s two-part endeavor to build a casino near Snoqualmie.

The gaming compact, which was signed by Gov. Gary Locke on Feb. 15, was approved by Neal McCaleb, assistant secretary for Indian affairs, last Wednesday, April 10. The compact didn’t become official until it was published in the Federal Register on Monday, April 15.

With the gaming compact approved by the Department of Interior, the remaining obstacle for the proposed casino is the Tribe’s trust application. If approved by the BIA, it would place in trust the 56 acres of land currently owned by Snoqualmie Hills Joint Venture in Snoqualmie’s urban growth area, creating a reservation.

The BIA recently finished its initial review of an environment assessment for the casino location and sent it back to the Tribe to be revised. Once completed, the BIA Portland area office will decide whether the casino should go through the environmental impact statement process.

Mullen said he wishes that would go as quickly as the gaming compact, but the federal government will determine how speedily the project progresses.

“You know, I would hope that it’s soon,” he said.

Snoqualmie Tribe Councilman Ray Mullen was thankful that one chapter had come to a close and the Tribe could now focus on the land-to-trust application before the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Portland area office.

“It puts us a step closer,” he said.

The Tribe began negotiating with the state to obtain the gaming compact in January 2001. The Class III compact would allow the Snoqualmies to have slot machines and Las Vegas-style games inside their planned casino, which would be built on about 56 acres of land along Southeast North Bend Way, near Interstate 90’s Exit 27.

Class III games, such as roulette, craps, keno, tribal lotteries and blackjack are allowed by the federal 1988 Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.

With the compact finalized, the Snoqualmie Tribe has the option of leasing the rights to its gaming machines to another tribe as it works on building the casino. Vice Chairwoman Mary Anne Hinzman told the Washington State Gambling Commission in January that approving the gaming compact would help the Tribe fund services for seniors, children and health care.

“With this compact, whether the casino opens right away or whether we lease out machines, [it] is going to bring revenue immediately to us,” she said.

Mullen said that still is an option, but the Tribe is moving forward “one step at a time” and has yet to make a decision concerning the machines.

“I think it makes us capable of doing that [leasing the gaming-machine rights],” he said.