BIA office opposes off-reservation casino

Monday, July 16, 2007  

The Bureau of Indian Affairs in Eastern Oklahoma is opposing an off-reservation casino sought by the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians.

The tribe wants 10 acres in Fort Smith, Arkansas, placed in trust for a casino. But local opposition prompted Jeanette Hanna, the director of the regional BIA office, to recommend the application be denied.

The recommendation will be send to the BIA central office in Washington, D.C. It's not likely Hanna will be overturned.

In addition to local opposition, the Choctaw Nation opposed the project. The Choctaws operate a casino near the Arkansas border.

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Riverfront Gaming Faces Big Obstacle (The Northwest Arkansas Morning News 7/13)