Tribe gets court date in off-reservation lawsuit

Tuesday, September 29, 2009  

The St. Croix Chippewa Tribe of Wisconsin will go to court on November 13 in its off-reservation gaming case.

The tribe, along with the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, hopes to build a casino in Beloit. The project, which enjoys strong local support, was rejected in the final days of the Bush administration.

The tribe is challenging Interior Department policies that make it nearly impossible to acquire land away from existing reservations. The Obama administration is reviewing the policies but continues to fight the lawsuit.

Oral arguments will take place before the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C.

Get the Story:
Casino awaits courts (The Beloit Daily News 9/28)

BIA Letter:
George Skibine to Bad River Band/St. Croix Chippewa (January 13, 2009)

Off-Reservation Gaming Policy:
Guidance on taking off-reservation land into trust for gaming purposes (January 3, 2008)