The Nez Perce Reservation, located in North Central Idaho, has had its application for a liquor license for its new convention center and hotel denied by the state. The Nez Perce Tribe has licenses to sell beer and wine, but would like to extend their menu to cocktails for convention center guests as well as visitors to the Clearwater River Casino and It’se Ye Ye Bingo & Casino to drive economic growth. So, why does Idaho want to stop the sale of alcoholic beverages?
Idaho has very strict liquor laws, outlined in the Interpretative and General Provisions of Idaho Liquor Act. The Idaho Liquor Act states that “The public interest requires that traffic in alcoholic liquor be regulated and controlled by the state, through the medium of a state liquor division vested with exclusive authority to import and sell such liquor, with certain exceptions, which are subject to its regulation.” This is recorded in Title 23 of the Idaho State Statutes.
The Nez Perce Tribe would like to serve liquor at the establishments on its reservation, but lawmakers have thus far blocked their efforts, stating that that the tribe must obtain an exemption from the state because the convention center and hotel are outside of the Lewiston city limits.
The request is now going on for review by the House State Affairs Committee. Lawmakers were hoping to reach a decision before the issue is tried in the court of public opinion. One representative states that the biggest concern is an increase in drinking in the Reservation population. According to him, the tribe has struggled with increased alcoholism in the past. Arrests for alcohol-related arrests from 1998-2008 was 34.9% of total arrests in Nez Perce County. For comparison: Canyon County yielded 16% alcohol related arrests of total arrests and Blaine County reported 29.8%.
Is it fair to judge the tribe by alcohol use statistics? Surely alcohol problems in Idaho are not limited to Indian reservations. Is it fair to deny the license to serve drinks beyond beer and wine in the new $16 million convention center and hotel? It would seem that the intent is to offer an amenity to visitors to the new center and to the casinos, as they would expect from travel to these types of businesses. Many tourists who attend conventions and/or casinos may appreciate a drink stronger than beer or wine.
Exemptions have been granted for other areas requesting permission to serve liquor: airports, golf courses, race tracks, and other facilities. Will the Nez Perce receive a similar exemption? And if they do, will this lead to other reservations making similar requests? There are many questions and very few answers at this time.
Whether the Nez Perce Tribe is granted the ability to serve alcohol within the boundaries of their reservation remains undecided. Hopefully the House State of Affairs Committee can wade through the issues of a state dedicated to temperance and a reservation’s economic development plans and their impact on the future.