Three tribes contributed more than $1.4 million to politicians in Texas in an attempt to influence the future of the gaming industry in the Lone Star State.
According to figures compiled by The Houston Chronicle, the Chickasaw Nation of
Oklahoma donated $670,000 in the 2014 election cycle. That was the second-largest amount overall from casino interests, the paper said.
The tribe has a big interest in limiting the expansion of gaming in Texas.
The tribe owns the Lone Star Park at Grand Prairie, a commercial racetrack, and relies on traffic from the state at the WinStar World Casino, just a few miles from the border.
The Choctaw Nation also has an interest in limiting competition. The tribe operates three casinos near the Oklahoma-Texas border and donated $286,000 in the last cycle, the Chronicle reported.
On the other hand, the Kickapoo
Tribe wants to be able to expand its Kickapoo Lucky
Eagle Casino in Eagle Pass. The facility offers only Class II games because the state refuses to negotiate a Class III gaming compact.
The tribe donated $450,000 in the 2014 cycle, the Chronicle reported. That was the second-largest amount among casino interests, the paper said.
Get the Story:
Racing commission fight driven by powerful lobbies
(The Houston Chronicle 9/8)
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