United Keetoowah Band closes gaming facility after 27 years

Tuesday, September 3, 2013  

The United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma shut down its gaming facility after failing to come to an agreement with the Cherokee Nation.

The tribes were negotiating a deal to keep the Keetoowah Cherokee Casino in Tahlequah open. But they failed to find a solution before a deadline of midnight on August 30.

the UKB casino said on Facebook. "We appreciate your loyal patronage for the past 27 years and wish you all the very best."

Talks centered on placing the casino site in trust for the Cherokee Nation. The Cherokees said they would have leased the land back to the UKBs.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs was prepared to place the land in trust for the UKBs until the Cherokee Nation went to court.

Get the Story:
UKB closed casino doors on Aug. 30 (The Cherokee Phoenix 9/3)
Time runs out for Keetoowah casino, leaving 150 jobless (The Tulsa World 8/31)

United Keetoowah Band and Cherokee Nation in casino talks (8/30)