Navajo Nation President Nygren signs tourism legislation that includes I-40 study

WINDOW ROCK — To stimulate

tourism, Navajo Nation President

Buu Nygren signed a $1.5 million

legislation allowing revenue in the

Hotel Occupancy Tax and Tourism

Fund to be used by all Navajo Nation

programs for tourism-related purposes.

Tourism, President Nygren said, is an

“untapped market.”

“So, anytime there’s a legislation

related to tourism, I think that’s a great

investment into our nation into our

communities,” President Nygren said

of the legislation sponsored by Navajo

Nation Council Delegate Eugenia

Charles-Newton. “I also want to thank

the sponsor for sponsoring legislation

to make $1.5 million available.”

The funding pays for a study along

Interstate 40, which is expected to cost

$400,000. The interstate runs across the

southern borders of the Navajo Nation

in Arizona and New Mexico.

The legislation also funds the Chuska

Mountains Recreation Corridor and the

Shiprock Pinnacle Project, as well as

provides money for a Dinosaur Tracks

Project. Some funding would go toward

the Explore Navajo Interactive Museum

in Tuba City.

“I’ve always said I supported tourism.

It’s one of those avenues to expand on

the needs of the Navajo people truly,”

said President Nygren.

The President anticipates that the

injection of funds into the Navajo

Nation tourism industry, that’s been

underfunded for the last three years due

to the COVID-19 pandemic, will create

a thriving Navajo tourism business.

“I am energized by the opportunities

presented with this funding,” he said.

“We’ve got so many people that own

trails, walking companies, and into the

different aspects of bed and breakfast

across the Navajo Nation.”

Despite the negative financial impacts,

the Navajo Tourism Department state

they continue to work with chapters

that request their assistance on projects

by promoting their destination through

collaboration with Utah, Arizona, and

New Mexico State Tourism Offices.

Arval T. McCabe, Department

Manager. Navajo Nation Tourism

Department, who attended the signing

ceremony, said one of the projects the

department is working on is creating a

park at the Shiprock pinnacle.

“We will be working on the Shiprock

Pinnacle to make it into a Navajo

Nation park,” said McCabe.

McCabe said the Cudei, Shiprock,

and Red Valley Chapters had given their

support.

McCabe added the boundary around

the future park around the world-famous pinnacle was mine miles. In

addition, he said a visitor center would

be constructed in Shiprock.

The funding would also help improve

an eight-acre area around the dinosaur

tracks in Coal Mine Chapter, east

of Tuba City, Arizona, along State

Highway 264.

McCabe thanked the President

for approving Charles-Newton’s

legislation.

President Nygren signed several

legislations last week. He invited

several council delegates to the Navajo

Nation Office of the President and

participated in signing ceremonies.

Delegate Charles-Newton could not

participate in the signing ceremony due

to prior commitments.

Information provided by the Office of

the Navajo Nation President