Resort plans not popular with locals

A proposed multi-million dollar real estate development on Navajo land near Lake Powell is under fire.

Texas billionaire Red McCombs and his partners, Bob Honts of Navajo Enterprises LLC and Larry Foster of Native Energy Inc., want to build three hotels, three casinos, golf courses and upscale housing on 50,000 acres in Navajo Canyon.

They are seeking a 75-year lease from the land.

Navajo Canyon covers parts of three chapters, LeChee, Navajo Mountain and Ts'ah Bii Kin (formerly Inscription House).

On Monday, Navajo Mountain Chapter voted 44-0 to oppose the development, office specialist Fern Kinsel confirmed Wednesday.

Kinsel said that Honts and Foster attended the chapter's planning meeting on Feb. 1 to ask to be on the Feb. 16 regular meeting agenda. They were added to the agenda but did not appear for the meeting, she said.

Kinsel said that as of Wednesday, she had not heard from Honts and Foster.

Also on Wednesday, Ts'ah Bii Kin Chapter president Larry Goodman said his community voted Sunday to place a resolution opposing the development on the agenda for its March 15 chapter meeting.

"We were supposed to meet with Larry Foster and his entourage but when they didn't show, the community decided that they wanted to discuss the development," Goodman said.

About 43 chapter residents were at the meeting. He said that a majority of community members oppose the development based on Navajo teachings.

Many of those who live in Navajo Canyon talked about how the people went there to pray for protection when the Diné were being rounded up and marched to Hwééldi (Place of Suffering), he said.

"I was moved by it," he said of their statements, adding that the local people hold the canyon in high regard and are protective of it.

LeChee Chapter voted to oppose the Navajo Canyon development on Jan. 12.

LeChee is also calling on Speaker Lawrence T. Morgan (Iyanbito/Pinedale) and Delegate Ervin Keeswood (Tsé Daa' Kaan) to come to the community and tell them about McCombs' plans to develop Navajo Canyon.

LeChee resident Ivan Gamble said he learned of the proposal inadvertently last July when he and LeChee Delegate Tommy Tsosie, who were at the legislative branch offices in Window Rock, received an impromptu invitation to a meeting in Gallup.

When they arrived, Honts was presenting the proposal to a small audience comprised of Morgan, Keeswood, the president's chief of staff Patrick Sandoval, Delegate George Arthur (Nenahnezad/San Juan/T'iistsoh Sikaad), and Marcella King Ben, head of the tribe's Office of Hearings and Appeals.

Honts' presentation came two months after Morgan, Foster and legislative chief of staff James Davis visited McCombs' Texas ranch during his annual longhorn sale last May.

While people in the communities around Navajo Canyon say they still are in the dark about what's going on, tribal leaders are continuing to meet with the Texans.

Last week Arthur, who chairs the council's Resources Committee, and committee members Norman John (Twin Lakes), Curran Hannon (Oak Springs/St. Michaels) and Phil Harrison (Cove/Red Valley) traveled to San Antonio, Texas, to meet with McCombs and Honts. The Navajos returned Feb. 15.

On Wednesday, Arthur was on travel and unavailable for comment. John, Hannon, and Harrison were also unavailable.

In November, McCombs, Honts, Foster and former Navajo Housing Authority executive director Chester Carl, representing Foresight Wind, went before the Resources Committee to lay the groundwork to explore alternative energy development on Big Boquillas Ranch.

They asked the committee to amend the Big Boquillas master lease and open the door for a feasibility study on a multi-million dollar project involving solar, wind and possibly water generation of electricity.

Arthur, as he introduced the presenters and their proposal, urged his committee members to agree to the request.

But the Resources Committee decided instead to call for a joint meeting with the Economic Development Committee for further discussion of the McCombs group's alternative energy proposal.

Legislative staff reported that a joint meeting has not been scheduled yet on the Big Bo proposal, but recently the two committees met to discuss which should take the lead on energy development proposals and decided it would be the Resources Committee.