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Two Coppers Casino has begun operating near the Eaglecrest Ski Area, opening a long-discussed tribal gaming facility while questions remain over the legal framework for tribal casinos in Alaska.
The casino, operated by the Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska, held a soft opening with 100 slot-style electronic machines, reports the Juneau Independent.
Chalyee Éesh Richard Peterson, the tribe’s president, said construction is still continuing and some amenities, including running water, are not yet in place. The official grand opening is targeted for 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’s operating schedule has not been finalized, and Peterson said it is not expected to be open daily. A shuttle connecting the site with downtown Juneau was scheduled to start Thursday, with cruise passengers expected to be among the casino’s customers.
The opening comes after the Trump administration reversed a Biden-era U.S. Department of the Interior opinion that had supported the National Indian Gaming Commission’s approval of an amended gaming ordinance adopted by Tlingit and Haida in October 2024.
The commission’s approval relied on the tribe showing it exercised governmental authority over its land allotments, including through education, law enforcement, emergency management and other operations.
Deputy Interior Secretary Katharine MacGregor said the Biden-era opinion did not reflect the best interpretation of applicable law and that federal actions relying on it should be reviewed.
Peterson said he believes a previously approved ordinance remains legally valid and that the tribe would prevail if Alaska challenges the 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.”
The Alaska Department of Law said the state is aware of the opening and is monitoring the situation. Spokesperson Sam Curtis said the state is deferring to the federal review process after the Interior Department’s reversal.
The reversal followed a separate dispute involving a gaming facility opened by the Native Village of Eklutna in January 2025. Alaska sued in February 2025 to shut that facility, which remains open.
Two Coppers is a Class II gaming establishment, meaning it may offer slot-like machines with pooled payouts, similar to bingo, along with non-house-banked card games, bingo and pull-tabs. Poker, blackjack and traditional slot machines are not allowed.
The casino sits on a 220-acre Fish Creek Road property about a mile from Eaglecrest. The land is owned by heirs of an Angoon man who obtained it through a 2002 land swap with the U.S. Forest Service. Tlingit and Haida have leased 20 acres since 2015.
The site has drawn speculation for years. Tlingit and Haida adopted a federal gaming ordinance in 2016 but denied at the time that it planned to build a Juneau casino. Tree clearing began in 2018, fireworks sales later took place on the property, and construction of the gaming facility began last summer.