Assistant secretary Larry
EchoHawk visited off-reservation casino sites in New York last week but his views on the controversial issue remain an unknown.
EchoHawk was invited to the Catskills by casino supporters. They hope the Obama administration will rescind Bush-era policies that make it extremely difficult for tribes to acquire land for off-reservation projects.
“This is simply a fact-finding listening opportunity for me to learn about the proposed developments here," the leader of the Bureau of Indian Affairs said at a press conference, The River Reporter reported.
State law authorizes the state to support three casinos in the Catskills, about 90 minutes north of New York City. The Bush administration rejected two proposed casinos there.
Get the Story:Poker face pleases both sides of debate (The River Reporter 9/3)