Artist's rendering of proposed Catawba Nation casino in North Carolina. Image from Catawba Nation Project Brief
Lawmakers in North Carolina are asking the Bureau of Indian Affairs to deny the Catawba Nation casino land-into-trust application. The tribe wants to build a $600 million casino resort on 16 acres in Cleveland County. Even if the BIA approves the application, the lawmaker claim the tribe can't engage in gaming at the site. At issue is the tribe's 1993 land claim settlement. The law bars the tribe from following the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. The settlement instead requires the tribe to follow the gaming laws in South Carolina "on and off the reservation." The law appears to be silent on North Carolina, however. At the same time, the law includes Cleveland County in the tribe's service area. Get the Story:
NC Senate leaders make legal case against Catawba casino (The Charlotte Observer 10/31) Related Stories:
Petition supports Catawba Nation's casino bid in North Carolina (10/11)
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