Mississippi Choctaws won't drop casino plans

Friday, November 9, 2007

The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians won't drop plans for an off-reservation casino despite losing a non-binding referendum on Tuesday.

Miko Beasley Denson, the tribe's recently elected chief, said plans to use 100 acres in Ocean Springs will move forward. The tribe has asked the Bureau of Indian Affairs to approve gaming at the site, which is more than 200 miles from the reservation.

"The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians began a process over two years ago with the BIA to place 60 acres of our 100 acres into trust for gaming purposes," Denson said in a lengthy statement. "This nonbinding referendum was called by the Jackson County Board of Supervisors and is not an official step in the BIA's Section 20 process. The tribe will continue to move forward with the multi-year Section 20 process.

Section 20 refers to the section of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act that bars gaming on lands acquired after 1988 unless certain exceptions are met. If the exceptions can't be met, Section 20 allows gaming only if the state governor approves under what is known as a "two-part determination."

The Choctaws don't meet any of the exceptions so they are seeking a two-part determination.

Get the Story:
Choctaws say casino proposal not dead (The Mississippi Press 11/9)
Choctaws press ahead on casino (The Biloxi Sun Herald 11/9)