Closing casinos owed by the Poarch Creek Band of Indians would have a devastating impact in Atmore, Alabama, the mayor said.

The tribe has brought jobs and revenue to the city, Mayor Howard Shell said. But that's being threatened by other local officials who claim the casinos aren't on Indian trust lands.

“I think we would be impacted catastrophically,” Shell told The Atmore Advacce. “Nobody’s a winner if they shut it down and you end up with a seventeen-story building that’s empty. It would be impossible to fill it up with casual vacationers.”

Officials in Escambia County are citing the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Carcieri v. Salazar in their campaign against the tribe. They say the tribe should pay taxes on its properties and shouldn't be allowed to operate casinos that aren't on Indian land.

Get the Story:
City stands by PCI (The Atmore Advance 5/2)

Get the Story:
Lowell McGill: Indian issues continue to pick up steam (The Atmore Advance 5/2)

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Column: Some strange conclusions on Poarch Creek gaming (5/1)