A federal judge dismissed the Wyandotte Nation off-reservation casino lawsuit on Monday.
The tribe wants to open a casino on a 10.5-acre site in Park City, Kansas.
The property was acquired in connection with a land claim settlement act.
The law requires the Bureau of Indian Affairs to place such land in trust. But the agency failed to take action so the tribe filed a lawsuit after waiting more than five years for an answer.
Assistant Secretary Kevin Washburn, the head of the BIA, finally made a decision on July 3 and said the land wouldn't be acquired. He said it wasn't clear that land claim settlement funds were used to purchase the property.
But Washburn left the door open for the tribe to resubmit its land-into-trust application and provide more information. The dismissal of the case won't affect the process.
The tribe previously acquired a site in downtown Kansas
City with land claim settlement funds. The property is in trust and houses the 7th Street Casino, a
Class II facility, there.
Get the Story:
Judge dismisses tribal lawsuit on land for casino
(AP 7/22)
$P Relevant Documents:
Order to Dismiss Case
(July 21, 2014)
Judgment in Case
(July 21, 2014)
Wyandotte
Nation Response to Show Cause Order (July 18, 2014)
Kevin
Washburn Letter to Wyandotte Nation (July 3, 2014)
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