Openings & Closings

Poarch Creeks resume construction of $246M casino expansion

Thursday, November 1, 2012

The Poarch Creek Band of Indians in Alabama resumed work on a $246 million casino expansion after talks over a sacred site faltered.

The tribe agreed to stop work on the Wind Creek Wetumpka in response to concerns raised by the Muscogee Nation. The site is home to Hickory Ground, where Creek ancestors are buried.

But after a trip to Oklahoma, no progress appears to have been made. "Since 2006, we have reached out to the Muscogee Nation with the hope that they would be open to understanding the facts about the 21st century conditions of what was once Hickory Ground Town and would recognize that our development in Wetumpka does not alter that," Chairman Buford L. Rolin said in a press release.

"Unfortunately we have reached an impasse," Rolin said.

The tribe has reburied remains that were found at the site and says no remains have been unearthed in nearly eight years.

Get the Story:
Construction Resumes of Creek Casino in Alabama (AP 11/1)
Poarch Creeks resume casino construction in Wetumpka (The Montgomery Advertiser 11/1)
Poarch Creeks resume construction of Wetumpka casino (Al.Com 10/31)
Poarch resumes construction in Wetumpka (The Atmore Advance 10/31)
Creek casino in Wetumpka moves forward (WSFA-TV 10/31)