An aerial view of the Lucky Star Casino in Clinton, Oklahoma. The barricaded property across the street from the facility has been the subject of a dispute. Image: Google Maps

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Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes lose access to parking lot at casino

Monday, June 5, 2017

UPDATE: The caption on the photo above has been corrected to reflect the location of the former parking lot. It is the barricaded property across from the casino, not next to the casino, as was incorrectly reported in the first version of this post.

The Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes have lost access to a parking lot at one of their gaming facilities in Oklahoma.

The owner of the lot next to the Lucky Star Casino in Clinton barricaded his property after the tribe stopped paying him to lease the land, The Oklahoman reported.

"I know the lease payments sound like they are excessive, but the fact is, $50,000 a month compared to what they (the Cheyenne and Arapahos) were making is trivial," Tom Fox told the paper.

But the deal in fact was not fair to the tribe, the National Indian Gaming Commission determined. The tribe was paying far above market value to use the land, the agency said in a settlement reached in April.

Additionally, the tribe had no idea that its former top gaming executive had put a $150,000 down payment on the land. Brian Foster was fired after the tribe found out but he insists he never benefited financially from the arrangement.

"I never made a penny off that land," Foster told The Oklahoman.

Patrons can still access other parking spots at the casino.

Read More on the Story:
Clinton casino parking lot at center of federal investigation now sits empty (The Oklahoman 5/29)