Road to riches? Hualapai, English cowboy in showdown over whether to pave

[NVMojo]

MOHAVE COUNTY, Ariz. -- On the west rim of the Grand Canyon, the side closest to Las Vegas, an Old West-style range war has American Indians pitted against a self-styled cowboy from England.

The showdown is over whether a road will be paved to allow more visitors to get to the largely remote portion of the United States' greatest natural wonder.

The west rim is part of the Hualapai Nation, and the tribe is trying to develop it into a major tourist attraction. The Hualapai are even building a glass skywalk out over that end of the canyon.

For the tribe, the paved road would be a road to riches. The European dude ranch owner standing in their way is costing them hundreds of millions of dollars, tribal leaders say.

more...

http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/sun/2005/nov/06/519618498.html

[damntexdem]

1. It's all development in a beautiful area, all junk development.

But the Hualapai should have first call, because the entire area not on the rez was stolen from them or from other Native Americans.

[xchrom]

2. the reservation is an unfortunate necessity --

first for genetic reasons.

second and appropriate to the time they need the money for the reservation.
they are ''independant nations'' -- and bear a lot of fiscal responsibility not only for the present but for the future.

the hualapai are in an especially precarious position -- they are so few in number and have limited ways to exploit what they have to provide.