Lower Brule Sioux Tribe to use site for off-reservation casino

Wednesday, January 30, 2013  

The Lower Brule Sioux Tribe of South Dakota wants to use a 91-acre site that's been tied up in litigation for more than two decades for an off-reservation casino.

The tribe filed the land-into-trust application in 1990. The Bureau of Indian Affairs agreed to acquire the site but litigation from the state has led to a protracted battle, including more than one appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.

The tribe now plans to ask for the state's help with the casino. The governor's approval will be needed under the two-part determination section of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.

"The local officials are waiting to see what the Governor’s position will be and the Governor is waiting to see what the Secretary of Interior’s position will be,” Richard Rangel, a construction manager working for the tribe, told The Chamberlain Sun.

The 91-acre site was once part of the reservation but it fell out of Indian ownership until the tribe purchased it in 1990. The tribe is hosting a meeting on February 5 to discuss plans for a $34 million casino and travel plaza.

Get the Story:
LBST to host meeting on casino, travel plaza in Oacoma (The Chamberlain Sun 1/30)