Artist's rendering of a gaming facility under construction near Washington, D.C. Image from MGM National Harbor
African-American lawmakers aren't the only ones raising questions about federal recognition for the Pamunkey Tribe of Virginia. MGM Resorts International is building a $925 million casino at the National Harbor in Maryland. The company claims it doesn't oppose Indian gaming but a spokesperson was clearly concerned about a potential tribal casino in neighboring Virginia. "Given the increasingly competitive environment for both tribal and commercial casino gaming, these advantages should not be indiscriminately bestowed upon entities that cannot demonstrate, through long-established procedures, that they meet the basic criteria for tribal acknowledgment," the spokesperson told the Associated Press. Maryland is home to several tribes with state recognition. None have been granted federal recognition so they can't follow the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. The Pamunkey Tribe, on the other hand, would become eligible after gaining federal recognition. IGRA allows a tribe to engage in the same types of gaming that are legal in a state. "MGM doesn't want any competition on the East Coast, and we would become gaming-eligible," Chief Kevin Brown told the AP. The tribe, however, hasn't decided whether to pursue gaming. Charitable gaming, pari-mutuel gaming, horse racing and the lottery are legal in Virginia, according to Wikipedia. Full-scale casino gaming, however, hasn't been approved in the state. The MGM casino at National Harbor is due to open in the summer of 2016. The site is less than 10 miles from the U.S. Capitol. Get the Story:
Tribe’s racial past becomes part of push to keep Virginia casino-free (The Washington Post 12/1) Related Stories:
African-American lawmakers seek probe into Pamunkey Tribe (11/28)
Revenues at commercial casinos in Maryland grew 33 percent (10/13)
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