SEARCH NEWS:

 

East Texas Tribes Reaps in Casino Benefits

"Fewer tribe members are unemployed. Much-needed revenue is benefiting reservation programs. And there's a renewed sense of hope, said Mr. Battise, tribal council chairman.

"…Texas Attorney General John Cornyn wants to shut down the operation, nestled in pine forests near Livingston, citing a 15-year-old federal law that prohibits gaming on the reservation.

"Tribal leaders are turning to Washington for help, on Tuesday asking the Senate Indian Affairs Committee to amend the legislation. The opportunity to improve tribal life is at stake, Mr. Battise said.

"…In 1987, the tribe, along with the Tigua Indians of West Texas, agreed to abide by the Texas Restoration Act, which restored official recognition of the tribes provided that they prohibit gaming. At the time, gambling was illegal in Texas. Then, in 1991, the state approved the lottery. Since then, tribes have expressed an interest in gaming.

"…`This is a situation where courts have overreached and tried to interpret statutes,' [Scott Crowell, an attorney for the tribe] said.

"Alex Skibine, a University of Utah law professor, called the Texas Restoration Act ambiguous. Courts have decided that ambiguous provisions are to be construed in favor of American Indians, he testified.

"The committee's vice chairman, Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell, R-Colo., said he wondered why Texas was concerned about casinos that provide an economic benefit to otherwise struggling tribes.

"…Tribal unemployment has dropped from 46 percent before the casino opened to 20 percent, Mr. Battise said. He said the casino, in addition to employing 80 tribe members, helps the region by employing 220 people from the area…"

< Gaming News