Editorial: Keep an eye on Choctaw casino

Thursday, November 29, 2007  

"The vote by the Jackson County Board of Supervisors against the proposed Choctaw casino may put the issue "behind us," as Supervisor John McKay said last week.

After months of maneuvering, it is time for the county to put the Choctaw casino issue on the backburner. The nonbinding referendum delivered the message that 60 percent of the voters oppose the casino.

However, after the election Choctaw leader Miko Beasley Denson said the tribe would continue the process to obtain approval for a casino. The Bureau of Indian Affairs and the governor must approve a casino.

The referendum outcome and votes by local elected officials send a signal to the governor's office that countering the wishes of Jackson County may have adverse political consequences. The Bureau of Indian Affairs ought to see a public record of opposition to the casino.

The Choctaws have spotted an economic opportunity in Jackson County. Perhaps there is something other than a casino that can achieve the tribe's financial goals without compromising the will of the Jackson County voters.

The casino proposal is behind us, but Jackson County would be wise to keep an eye on it."

Get the Story:
Editorial: Time to put casino issue "behind us" (The Mississippi Press 11/29)