The Unalachtigo Band of the Nanticoke Lenni Lenape Nation is suing the state of New Jersey in hopes of getting land for casinos. The tribe claims the state illegally sold a 3,400-acre reservation in 1801. In exchange, the tribe wants 1,500 acres across the river from New York City and another 1,500 acres closer to Philadelphia. Chief James Brent Thomas Sr. bills the first site "sin city." He envisions a $5 billion complex with five casinos, two golf communities and 150 homes. The second site would be in what is now a state park. "I'm going to do whatever it takes to seal the deal," he tells The New York Times. A state court already threw out an earlier claim due to the tribe's lack of federal recognition. The state is seeking to dismiss the tribe's new lawsuit. Get the Story:
A Tribe Dreams of a Casino, and of a Less Spartan Life (The New York Times 2/7)
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