The Tonkawa Tribe of Oklahoma opened its new Native Lights Casino, aimed at drawing in people from nearby Kansas.
The 22,500 square-foot casino is the largest near Wichita, about 75 miles away. It's only a few miles south of the Kansas border.
The facility opened late Thursday and drew a crowd of gamblers, many from Kansas, despite little advertising. The general manager expects 75 percent to 80 percent of business will come from Kansas.
The tribe cleared up a regulatory and legal dispute with federal officials before opening the casino. The tribe and a former casino manager are paying $2.5 million in fines for violating federal bank law.
Get the Story:
Oklahoma casino designed to lure area gamblers south
(The Wichita Eagle 7/8)
Feds give OK for Tonkawas to open casino (The Oklahoman 7/9)
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