Arkansas Fighting Indian Casino

The United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians has asked Governor Mike Beebe to support a proposal they have to open a casino in the state of Arkansas. They would like to open their casino on their ten acres of land that they own north of River Park. The casino and hotel would cost them $131 million, and would support the tribe economically.

However, the governor is planning on writing a letter to the US Department of the Interior, informing them that he will not support a casino in his state. The previous governor wrote a similar letter, and the tribe has been fighting it.

The tribe has the right to take their fight to the federal government, as since the state’s residents have already approved one form of gambling it is not fair to the tribe that they wouldn’t approve their gambling as well. They would be limited to any kind of gambling that already exists in the state, so they could have skill based electronic games.

The tribe says that even though the governor will not support them, a recent survey in the area that the casino would be located showed that 71% of residents would want a casino in their town. The tribe says that even if the governor does not want it, he will be hard pressed to stand against that many people who want it. They say the rest of the state may not be in favor of the casino, but that Fort Smith residents definitely were.


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