"When Congress passed the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act in 1988, the legislation was explicitly intended to promote "tribal self-sufficiency."

Our tribe, the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, has worked hard to avail itself of the opportunities which that law and Indian gaming could provide us. But now those efforts threaten to be undermined by proposed changes in federal rules governing Indian gaming --changes that could put our gaming operations out of business.

The National Indian Gaming Commission, our regulator at the federal level, is considering adopting rules that would automatically reclassify the Class II machines we use now in our facilities up to Class III, making them illegal unless we have a compact with the state.

We estimate an 80 percent loss of revenue at our facility in Atmore, and the potential loss of 500 jobs at our facilities in Montgomery should the rules go into effect. Clearly, some of our facilities will be forced to close. And again, the vast majority of the jobs that will be lost are held by non-Indians -- our neighbors who have benefited from our businesses. The impact on the state's economy will be noticeable."

Get the Story:
Buford L. Rolin: New rules threaten state's Indian operations (The Montgomery Advertiser 11/12)