Poarch Creek casino expected to lead growth in region

Tuesday, October 7, 2008  

The Poarch Band of Creek Indians is banking big on a new casino resort in southern Alabama.

The 17-story Wind Creek Casino Hotel will feature 1,600 electronic gaming machines. The facility isn't done yet but it's already changing the landscape and raising expectations.

"Poarch Creeks' businesses have provided economic stability to both our tribal members and our neighbors. We have grown to be the largest employer in the county and a major employer in the state," Chairman Buford L. Rolin told the Associated Press.

The tribe is limited to Class II gaming because state governors have refused to negotiate a Class III compact. The state is pursuing a lawsuit against the Interior Department to invalidate a key provision of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act that would help the tribe.

Get the Story:
Creeks' casino hotel changes rural landscape (AP 10/7)