The Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribe of Massachusetts is planning to build two major structures as a lawsuit over land use on tribal land makes its way through the courts.

The tribe will begin work on a 9,200 square-foot community center in May. The center will have space for a gym and other facilities. The second building, a 4,500 square-foot health and human services building, is on tap for 2005.

The tribe follows its own zoning rules that are the same as the local government. But a dispute over a small shed has led to a precedent-setting lawsuit. The Massachusetts Supreme Court is considering whether the tribe is immune from lawsuits for not following local laws.

Get the Story:
Tribe Plans Two Buildings at Headquarters (The Vineyard Gazette 3/12)

Court Decision:
Town of Aquinnah v. Gay Head Wampanoag Tribe (June 11, 2003)

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