Univ. Of New Mexico AD Defends Partnership With Casino Hotel

Univ. of New Mexico AD Paul Krebs yesterday defended a $2.5M sponsorship agreement between the university's athletic department and the Route 66 Casino Hotel, saying that because the tribal casino hotel "cannot accept wagering on sports events, the agreement is similar to those with any other company," according to Scott Sonner of the AP. Krebs: "What people might be losing sight of is that we already have existing deals with other casinos." Krebs noted that the contract, which establishes Route 66 Casino Hotel as the "exclusive gaming sponsor" of the athletic department effective July 1, is "not with the casino but with Laguna Development Corporation, a tribal subsidiary that operates the hotel and other businesses." The NCAA allows such deals, provided they "don't violate the organization's rules against sports wagering." NCAA Associate Dir of Public & Media Relations Gail Dent said in an e-mail, "Individual sponsorship arrangements and revenue sources are left up to the institutions as long as those arrangements do not involve Bylaw 10.3." That rule prohibits "knowingly participating in sports wagering." Laguna Pueblo, which operates the casino, also "advertises its casino at New Mexico State, and the tribe sponsors the Rio Grande Rivalry," a competition between New Mexico and New Mexico State in all sports. Additionally, the Univ. of Arizona "holds advertising agreements with the Pascua Yaqui, allowing the tribe's casino to advertise at the school's stadiums and arenas" (AP, 2/21).