Legislation allowing a tramway and other tourism development at the confluence of the Colorado and Little Colorado rivers received a clear message of disapproval during its first committee hearing before Navajo Nation lawmakers on Monday.

The five members of the Law and Order Committee unanimously opposing the Grand Canyon Escalade legislation during a committee hearing at Twin Arrows Resort Casino. Members said voting for the project would be a gamble, would require money that should be used elsewhere and didn’t have the support of the tribe’s economic development, justice or historic preservation departments.

“If we start establishing these particular projects across Navajo Nation how are we going to be in five years in 10 years? Why can’t we invest back in our own culture, our traditional way of life?” Councilman Kee Allen Begay said to cheers from opponents of the project.

The committee was the first of four that will hear the tramway proposal before it goes to the full tribal council for a vote. It will go to the full council regardless of whether it gets voted up or down in the committees.

After the hearing, Lamar Whitmer, managing partner of project developer Confluence Partners LLC, commented on the number of questions asked by council members.