Kaw Nation Travel Plaza in Braman, Oklahoma. Photo © Kaw Nation
The Bureau of Indian Affairs has approved an off-reservation casino application for the Kaw Nation of Oklahoma. The application was approved under the two-part determination provisions of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. That means Gov. Mary Fallin (R) will be able to veto the project. “After a careful and thorough review of the Kaw Nation’s gaming application, the tribe’s application satisfies the rigorous standards contained in the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act and our regulations,” Assistant Secretary Kevin Washburn said in a press release. “The tribe has had a presence in north-central Oklahoma since its relocation there from Kansas in 1872 and this decision will assist them to build their economy for the benefit of their tribal members and the surrounding communities.” The decision appears to be the first two-part determination in Oklahoma. In the history of IGRA, only three tribes have completed both steps of the process. The Kaw Nation operates two casinos, including a smoke-free facility that opened in April. The site that's part of the new application currently houses the Kanza Travel Plaza.
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Kaw Nation gaming application gets OK from BIA, on to Okla. gov. (The Native American Times 6/15) Related Stories:
Kaw Nation opens first 100% smoke-free casino in Oklahoma (4/29)
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