The Mississippi Attorney General's Office has confirmed that Jackson County can hold a non-binding referendum on the off-reservation casino sought by the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians.

The tribe asked the county to schedule the vote during the November 2008 presidential election. The tribe says it won't move forward with the project without local support.

County supervisors weren't sure if they had the power to call the vote. In two separate opinions, the state attorney general's office has affirmed the legality of the proposed election.

The tribe owns 100 acres in Ocean Springs, more than 200 miles from the reservation. The tribe wants to build a a $375 million casino at the site, which is near a major interstate.

Get the Story:
Opinion says county can hold election on gaming (The Mississippi Press 3/28)
In a word, AG says, 'Yes' (The Biloxi Sun-Herald 3/28)
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