A tribal casino near Juneau’s Eaglecrest Ski Area that’s been discussed for many years is open, but its operator is taking something of a gamble by hoping it can prevail if the state challenges the legality of the establishment.
A “soft opening” of the Two Coppers Casino began last week, with the facility featuring 100 slot-style electronic machines, Chalyee Éesh Richard Peterson, president of the Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska, said in an interview shortly after the casino opened on June 3.
Construction is still ongoing and some amenities such as running water are lacking, so the target official grand opening date is July 1.
“We’re really excited about this,” he said. “It’s an opportunity, an expression of our sovereignty, but also I think it’s a great economic opportunity for not only the tribe, but for people who want to work here.”
The casino will be open on days and at times to be determined in the coming days leading up to the official opening, with the regular operating hours still being determined, Peterson said.
The Tlingit and Haida casino plans to run a shuttle bus from downtown — since cruise passengers are envisioned as a major portion of the customers.
Peterson acknowledged concerns some people have raised about casinos and noted that for now alcohol is not being served and “we’re going to have some really strict guidelines that if we see people that are probably spending too much time here, they’re going to be asked not to.”
A more existential issue is the casino’s legal status, which was put into doubt last September.
The Trump administration reversed a Biden-era ruling by the U.S. Department of the Interior regarding the status of certain tribal lands, which was cited by the National Indian Gaming Commission when it authorized a gaming ordinance adopted by Tlingit and Haida in October 2024.
The Trump administration’s reversal of allowing casino-style halls was prompted by a similar gaming facility the Native Village of Eklutna opened just north of Anchorage in January 2025. The state of Alaska filed a lawsuit in February of that year to shut down the casino. The lawsuit is ongoing.
The Eklutna facility continues to operate and Peterson said he believes his tribe will prevail if a similar challenge is filed against Two Coppers Casino.
“I feel fairly secure,” he said. “If they challenge it that’s their choice. That doesn’t mean I agree that they have a legal ground to stand on and that they’ll win.”
Sam Curtis, a spokesperson for the Alaska Department of Law, stated in an email on June 3: “The state of Alaska is aware of the Two Coopers Casino opening and is closely monitoring the situation.”
Two Coppers Casino can offer slot-like machines, where the payouts come from other players at the machines, not from the house. It also can offer bingo and pull-tabs. Games like poker, blackjack and traditional slot machines are not allowed.
Annette Ulmer, a Juneau resident who said she has gambled in numerous tribal casinos elsewhere, said the new establishment compares favorably to those.
“I love it. I think it’s something that’s been needed for a while,” she said.
The casino is on a 220-acre site about a mile from Eaglecrest. The land is owned by the heirs of an Angoon man who obtained it in a land swap with the U.S. Forest Service in 2002. Tlingit and Haida has been leasing 20 of those acres since 2015.
Tlingit and Haida began clearing trees from the land in 2018. Construction began at the site last summer.
