Controversy in Broken Arrow

Rendering of the Red Clay Casino in Broken Arrow. Courtesy

Overview: On Dec. 20, a Broken Arrow city planning official confirmed that the Kialegee Tribal Town was planning to build a gaming establishment in the city and call it the Red Clay Casino.

The federally recognized tribe plans to open a temporary facility in March that would consist of about eight to 12 prefabricated buildings with slot machines. The tribe plans to build a permanent casino building that would be complete around the beginning of 2013.

The land is at the southwest corner of South Olive Avenue (129th East Avenue) and West Florence Street (111th Street), just north of the Creek Turnpike.

This announcement came to a surprise to Broken Arrow residents, resulting in public meetings, protests and a legal battle.

This page provides continuing coverage of the controversy.

Headlines

OLDEST FIRSTNEWEST FIRST

Kialegee casino appeal hangs in circuit court 10/10/2012 Investors behind the stymied Red Clay Casino in Broken Arrow did not have much luck recently in getting the Muscogee (Creek) Nation to breathe new life into their court-defeated casino effort.

Casino buildings in Broken Arrow defended 8/18/2012 Developers behind the stymied Red Clay Casino staunchly defended the construction methods used in the installation of a series of modular buildings that have been criticized by a local architect.

Tulsa law firm sues MCZ Development Corp. for fraud after representing Kialegee Tribal Town in its quest for a casino 8/4/2012 A local law firm that withdrew its representation of the Kialegee Tribal Town, its town king and Florence Development Partners LLC because it has not been paid is now suing a Chicago real estate developer that is behind the stymied casino development in Broken Arrow for fraud.

Judge won't stop Kialegees from running nongaming business at BA site 8/1/2012 The U.S. District Court will not stop the Kialegee Tribal Town from operating a restaurant, sports bar or other nongaming businesses on a Muscogee (Creek) allotment in Broken Arrow.

Broken Arrow casino ruling won't be reconsidered 7/31/2012 Chief U.S. District Judge Gregory Frizzell will not reconsider his previous granting of an injunction against the operation of an Indian casino in Broken Arrow.

Injunction stopping Broken Arrow casino construction stands 7/30/2012 Chief U.S. District Judge Gregory Frizzell will not reconsider his previous granting of an injunction against the operation of an Indian casino in Broken Arrow.

Fans, foes of proposed Kialegee Tribal Town casino in Broken Arrow claim racism 7/18/2012 Accusations of racism were thrown between supporters and opponents of a proposed Kialegee Tribal Town casino at Tuesday night's City Council meeting.

Racism charges levied by Broken Arrow casino supporters, opponents 7/17/2012 Accusations of racism were thrown between supporters and opponents of a proposed Kialegee Tribal Town casino at Tuesday night’s City Council meeting.

Judge says fireworks sales at Kialegee casino construction site didn't violate court order 7/10/2012 The Kialegee Tribal Town did not violate a court-ordered injunction against the construction of an Indian casino by operating a fireworks stand this summer, a federal judge ruled Monday.

BA casino defendants say fireworks sales at site were legal 7/6/2012 The defendants behind a proposed Indian casino in Broken Arrow say they do not believe that selling fireworks was a violation of a court injunction against further construction of a gaming facility at the site.

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NO! to another Tribe

Gaming commission rules against Kialegee casino
   

 

Construction progress on the Kialegee Casino in Broken Arrow last week. STEPHEN PINGRY/Tulsa World                         

Broken Arrow site determined not to be eligible for gambling under Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, congressman says.

By Staff Reports
Published: 5/25/2012 3:09 PM
Last Modified: 5/25/2012 4:18 PM

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Document: Read the memorandum here.

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The National Indian Gaming Commission has determined that the site of a proposed casino in Broken Arrow does not belong to the Kialegee Tribal Town and is not eligible for gambling, U.S. Rep. John Sullivan announced Friday afternoon.

"This is a huge win for the citizens of Broken Arrow who stood up and affirmed 'We don't want casino gaming close to our neighborhoods, churches and schools,'" Sullivan said in a news release.

"The citizens of Broken Arrow can rest assured that there will never be a Kialegee casino built on that land."

Sullivan noted that the solicitor general for the Bureau of Indian Affairs concurred with the gaming commission's decision that the land was not eligible for gaming under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.

Last week, U.S. Chief District Judge Gregory Frizzell granted a temporary injunction against the Kialegee Tribal Town and its casino developers, saying the casino would violate the state gaming compact and the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act because the Kialegees do not have "Indian lands."
The federally recognized tribe has been building a temporary facility that would consist of about eight to 12 prefabricated buildings with slot machines. The tribe had plans to build a permanent casino building that was to be complete around the beginning of 2013.

The land is at the southwest corner of South Olive Avenue (129th East Avenue) and West Florence Street (111th Street), just north of the Creek Turnpike.

Broken Arrow Citizens Against Neighborhood Gaming organizers Jared Cawley and Rob Martinek praised Sullivan for his help opposing the casino proposal.

"He helped us present our case and pushed the NIGC and BIA to issue a ruling," Cawley and Martinek said in a prepared statement. "We are very proud of Congressman Sullivan's steadfast and energetic defense of the families of Broken Arrow."

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