Illinois county breaks off talks with Prairie Band

Tuesday, October 3, 2006  

Officials in DeKalb County, Illinois, said they don't recognize the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation's sovereignty over a farm where the tribe wants to build a Class II facility.

The county and the tribe were in discussions over a potential intergovernmental agreement. But after the Bureau of Indian Affairs issued a letter that raised questions about the tribe's sovereignty, the county broke off the talks.

The tribe, based in Kansas, says the BIA letter confirms its sovereignty over the 128-farm in Illinois. The land is located within a 1,200-acre former reservation that was never terminated.

The BIA letter says the tribe has a "credible" claim. But it says the tribe hasn't gone through the process to determine whether the farm is eligible for gaming.

Get the Story:
County ends talks with tribe (The Chicago Tribune 10/3)
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