Protestors show up in opposition to new casino
Indian tribe to build facility near schools
By Chris Davis and Russell Mills
TULSA, Okla. —
The signs say it all. About 100 Broken Arrow residents showed up where a press conference was set to take place Thursday on the casino being built at S. 111th St. and 129th E. Ave.
"Save BA-No Casino" read one sign. Others said pretty much the same.
The press conference was led by Jared Cawley, an expert on Indian law and a resident of the neighborhood just north of the casino site.
He says the project is illegal under state, federal and local law and residents will do what it takes to get it stopped.
The Kialegee Tribal Town, a group affiliated with the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, is planning a temporary slot machine facility that could open as early as March.
The tribe apparently claims sovereignty over the tract of land, according to signs posted there.
However, no one -- including the Kialegee Tribal Town, the Muscogee Nation, their attorneys, the developers, or the land owners will talk with residents or the media about the situation.
A more permanent structure would open in 2013. The complex would be called the Red Clay Casino.
But, not if Broken Arrow residents have their way. Many have shown up at city council meetings vocalizing their opposition to the planned gambling establishment, fearful of a moral breakdown in their town.
However, protesters said Thursday, the council has so far refused to allow an agenda item on the casino for next Tuesday's council meeting.
Some in Thursday's crowd say they're opposed to gaming on moral grounds. Others say they just think the location's wrong.
Phil Dietz, another neighbor, told KRMG "I'm not necessarily against gaming in general, but this is the wrong place for a casino."
He points out that Tulsa Tech's Broken Arrow campus is immediately across the street. The land to the northeast will soon become home to a new pre-k and elementary school.
North of the casino project, quiet neighborhoods where Dietz fears property values will begin to drop if the casino gets built.
Lori Pettus says she's extremely concerned about the proximity of the vo-tech, where inexperienced high school-age drivers will "according to the law of averages" come in contact with impaired drivers leaving the casino after drinking.
She's also fearful of the intentions of the builders, who have not communicated at all with area residents. People in the area all say they learned about the project when giant earthmovers began working on the site.
"We are all very concerned about the conspiracy of silence that has enveloped this whole operation," she told KRMG. "If we cannot stop this, then any community is vulnerable, any community can be invaded.
Perhaps the sign which most succinctly and directly summed up the feelings of the crowd read simply: "CasiNO."
Showing posts with label Creek Nation Casino. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Creek Nation Casino. Show all posts
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Outgoing Muscogee chief, Broken Arrow residents fighting proposed casino by Kialegee
Outgoing Muscogee chief, Broken Arrow residents fighting proposed casino by Kialegee
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
BROKEN ARROW, Okla. — The outgoing chief of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and residents of Broken Arrow are fighting a proposed casino by the Kialegee Tribal Town.
The casino would be built on land leased to the Kialegee, but a judge has withheld approval of the lease and the National Indian Gaming Commission has said it's reviewing whether the land is eligible for gambling.
Chief A.D. Ellis, whose term ends at midnight Saturday, told the Tulsa World (http://bit.ly/vNW3Hi ) that plans for the casino must be stopped.
"They just don't have the expertise to do anything like this," he said. "If they get by with this, there will be somebody else, then somebody else."
Local residents also oppose the casino, saying it would be built near a planned early childhood center, a church and a Tulsa Technology Center campus.
Current Chief A.D. Ellis told the Tulsa World that the Kialegee have no experience with casinos and that the facility would hurt his tribe's casino in nearby Tulsa .
Tiger Hobia, the Town King of the Kialegee Tribal Town, has declined interview requests, but issued a statement on Dec. 24.
"The Kialegee Tribal Town project is the epitome of the Congressional vision for Indian economic development. The Kialegee Tribal Town, to date, has had no viable economic development opportunities. As such, the Kialegee Tribal Town is dependent on limited allocations and subsidies to fund its tribal operations. Consequently, the Kialegee Tribal Town does not possess the resources to provide any programming to serve the needs of its members. This is one of the very reasons the Indian Gaming Act was enacted," the statement said.
Ellis, who did not seek re-election because of term limits, said he believes the planned casino would be detrimental to his tribes' River Spirit Casino in nearby Tulsa, which employs about 1,000 workers.
"We worked hard. This was a battle getting this built. A lot of things depend on it, and a lot of things depend on how successful this is," Ellis said. "I'd hate to see layoffs."
Ellis also said he believes another casino in the metro area would hurt the tribe's gaming-funded programs for seniors, children and college students who are Creek citizens including the Kialegees, who have dual citizenship.
___
Information from: Tulsa World, http://www.tulsaworld.com
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
BROKEN ARROW, Okla. — The outgoing chief of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and residents of Broken Arrow are fighting a proposed casino by the Kialegee Tribal Town.
The casino would be built on land leased to the Kialegee, but a judge has withheld approval of the lease and the National Indian Gaming Commission has said it's reviewing whether the land is eligible for gambling.
Chief A.D. Ellis, whose term ends at midnight Saturday, told the Tulsa World (http://bit.ly/vNW3Hi ) that plans for the casino must be stopped.
"They just don't have the expertise to do anything like this," he said. "If they get by with this, there will be somebody else, then somebody else."
Local residents also oppose the casino, saying it would be built near a planned early childhood center, a church and a Tulsa Technology Center campus.
Current Chief A.D. Ellis told the Tulsa World that the Kialegee have no experience with casinos and that the facility would hurt his tribe's casino in nearby Tulsa .
Tiger Hobia, the Town King of the Kialegee Tribal Town, has declined interview requests, but issued a statement on Dec. 24.
"The Kialegee Tribal Town project is the epitome of the Congressional vision for Indian economic development. The Kialegee Tribal Town, to date, has had no viable economic development opportunities. As such, the Kialegee Tribal Town is dependent on limited allocations and subsidies to fund its tribal operations. Consequently, the Kialegee Tribal Town does not possess the resources to provide any programming to serve the needs of its members. This is one of the very reasons the Indian Gaming Act was enacted," the statement said.
Ellis, who did not seek re-election because of term limits, said he believes the planned casino would be detrimental to his tribes' River Spirit Casino in nearby Tulsa, which employs about 1,000 workers.
"We worked hard. This was a battle getting this built. A lot of things depend on it, and a lot of things depend on how successful this is," Ellis said. "I'd hate to see layoffs."
Ellis also said he believes another casino in the metro area would hurt the tribe's gaming-funded programs for seniors, children and college students who are Creek citizens including the Kialegees, who have dual citizenship.
___
Information from: Tulsa World, http://www.tulsaworld.com
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Life in prison for kidnapping, rape of elderly woman from casino
Life in prison for rape against elderly woman
Reported by: Abbie Alford
A man will spend the rest of his life in prison for a brutal attack against an elderly woman in 2007.
On Friday night, Tulsa police say a jury convicted Ralph Smith, 42, for kidnapping and raping a 76-year-old woman he met at Creek Nation Casino in March 2007.
Sex crimes detectives say he conned the woman into a ride home but kidnapped her and held her against her will in a hotel.
He then robbed, beat and raped the woman.
Police say after the attack he went on a burglary crime spree in the Brady Heights and Reservoir Hills neighborhoods in North Tulsa.
Police say the woman was a grandmother of an OHP Trooper.
Investigators say it took four years for Smith to stand fit for trial.
Smith was sentenced to 100 years for his burglary crimes and sentenced to life without parole for the rape.
Reported by: Abbie Alford
A man will spend the rest of his life in prison for a brutal attack against an elderly woman in 2007.
On Friday night, Tulsa police say a jury convicted Ralph Smith, 42, for kidnapping and raping a 76-year-old woman he met at Creek Nation Casino in March 2007.
Sex crimes detectives say he conned the woman into a ride home but kidnapped her and held her against her will in a hotel.
He then robbed, beat and raped the woman.
Police say after the attack he went on a burglary crime spree in the Brady Heights and Reservoir Hills neighborhoods in North Tulsa.
Police say the woman was a grandmother of an OHP Trooper.
Investigators say it took four years for Smith to stand fit for trial.
Smith was sentenced to 100 years for his burglary crimes and sentenced to life without parole for the rape.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
