Lower Brule Sioux Tribe faces off-reservation gaming protest

Thursday, February 7, 2013
Filed Under: Casino Stalker
More on: igra, lower brule sioux, off-reservation, shakopee, south dakota, two-part determination

The Lower Brule Sioux Tribe of South Dakota wants to spend $34 million on an off-reservation casino but some members are objecting to the idea.

The Lower Brule Land Owners and Tribal Members Association held a protest as the tribe unveiled plans for the casino. Members questioned where the tribe was getting the money for the project.

"It's American tax payer money, it's not tribal money, we are poor....we have no money as a tribe and the money that we do get is American tax payer money," one tribal member told KSFY-TV.

The tribe has said it will use $21 million of its own funds for the casino. The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community of Minnesota has agreed to provide a loan to help finance the project, according to news reports.

The tribe is proceeding under the two-part determination provisions of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. That means the state governor's approval will be needed.

The tribe plans to close the Golden Buffalo Casino and build a new casino at the 91-acre site.

Get the Story:
Lower Brule Tribal members protest plans for a casino near Oacoma (KSFY-TV 2/6)
South Dakota tribe proposing $34 million casino (KSFY-TV 2/6)
Tribe wants to build casino off I-90 in Oacoma (The Sioux Falls Argus Leader 2/7)