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Navajo Open Third Casino

Saying it will boost the economy near Farmington, New Mexico, tribal officials from the Navajo Nation have opened its third casino.

For several years the tribe was reluctant to build casinos. Many were concerned about compulsive gambling and the potential for increased crime. Raymond Etsitty runs Navajo Gaming Enterprise. For him it’s about the jobs.

"They now have a paycheck," said Etsitty.  "They’re now buying things. Seeing a family who the employee works here they’re going out on the town buying some food, buying a car. That’s nice."

More than half of the Navajo Nation is unemployed.

Etsitty says for this casino they have about 350 openings and 4-thousand people applied.

The tribe is working on a fourth casino and resort east of Flagstaff that should employ almost a thousand employees next year.