The Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation says a recent letter from the Bureau of Indian Affairs reaffirms the tribe's claim to land in Illinois.

The tribe recently purchased 128 acres in Shabbona. The land is located within the boundaries of a 1,200-acre reservation that was set aside by an 1829 treaty.

The tribe wants to build a Class II facility at the site. But House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Illinois) says the tribe has yet to begin the process to revive sovereignty over the land.

The letter from the BIA says the site has to qualify as "Indian land" under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.

Get the Story:
Snags found in Shabbona land transfer to tribe (The Midweek News 10/11)