Four corners - economic development and tourist spots in San Juan County, New Mexico, and Durango, and Cortez,Colorado, Arizona and Utah

New Mexico Business Journal, Sept, 1991 by Margaret Cheasebro, Jack Hartsfield

The Navajo Tribal Council at the Nation's Window Rock, Ariz., capital is responsible for leading the Navajos into a new transition period of developing irrigation projects, a tribal park system and job producing industries.

"There is a substantial amount of oil in the area," says Roger Boyd, executive director of the Navajo Nation's Division of Economic Development.

"We don't have any Navajo-owned companies out exploring or producing the oil," he says. "We mainly lease out our resources and our income is based on a royalty."

But business is business.

Privately-owned businesses by Navajos for Navajos -- and for the outside world as well -- are a growing trend for the descendants who came to the Southwest from Alaska and northwestern Canada about A.D. 1000.

Overall, there are six small shopping centers around the reservation and three more should be under construction before the end of the year, says Boyd.

Boyd says he is also encouraged by a number of proposals the tribe receives from outside investors wanting to start up a business on the reservation; and there are proposals from Navajos want to begin a business or expand.

The Navajo Nation's industrial park houses a General Dynamics plant, which manufactures electronic components for Stinger missiles and employs a substantial number of Navajo people.

Day-to-day operations at the Navajo Agricultural Products Industry also are revenue producers because the enterprise buys farm equipment, vehicles and other supplies from local businesses.

The Navajo Indian Irrigation Project, which brings water to NAPI, also provides dollars for construction workers.

Aware of its lure for tourists, the tribe is also looking to improving its marketing and capitalize on the tourist dollar.

The tribe is looking for investors for hotels and restaurants to enhance its hospitality industry.

PHOTO : Biking a thrill at high altitudes

PHOTO : Mesa Verde, Colo., a trip to past