Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe eyes off-reservation casino

Monday, April 12, 2010  

The Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe and a group of investors are proposing an off-reservation casino near Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

The group hopes to counteract a proposed casino just across the border in Iowa. But the project faces some big hurdles -- getting land-into-trust and securing the governor's support.

The Bush administration imposed restrictions on the land-into-trust process that make it nearly impossible for tribes to acquire land away from existing reservations. The Obama administration has not make any changes to the policy.

The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988 gives state governors the power to approve or reject off-reservation casinos. Since 1988, only three tribes have successfully completed the process, known as a two-part determination.

Additionally, the tribe would have to negotiate a new Class III gaming compact with the next state governor. The current deal limits the tribe to 250 slot machines.

Get the Story:
Tribe scouts Sioux Falls for major resort casino (The Sioux Falls Argus Leader 4/12)
Windfall from casinos in doubt (The Des Moines Register (4/12)