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Florida Governor, tribe fight over slot casino

FLORIDA – As reported by the South Florida Sun Sentinel: "About 20 miles north of Alligator Alley, up a two-lane road that winds past grazing cows, stands the Seminole Tribe's newest casino.

"Housed in an air-conditioned white tent, it offers 63 slot machines and little else. Three vending machines stand in a corner. The restrooms are in a portable unit out back. At 5:30 p.m. on a Friday, there are no customers, just a manager and two employees.

"The remote Big Cypress Casino, which isn't listed on the tribe's Web site with the other casinos, is one of the main reasons the Seminoles and Gov. Jeb Bush in April broke off negotiations over a gambling compact.

"…The Seminoles say they simply want to enforce their sovereign right to operate casinos on their land.

"…The governor, a staunch opponent of gambling, wants the Big Cypress Casino shut down, arguing its existence threatens the environment of the surrounding Everglades.

"…Since negotiations have deadlocked with the Seminoles, the U.S. Department of the Interior says it will impose rules unless a compact is reached by the end of this month. In that case, the state would receive nothing. Bush's office says any proposed federal regulations would be challenged in court.

"…The tribe thinks it has the sovereign right to a casino on its Big Cypress reservation and won't negotiate that away, Seminole spokesman Gary Bitner said.

"…Jerry Strauss, a lawyer for the tribe, said the casino is in an already developed area…"

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