South Dakota tribes press governor for compacts

Wednesday, October 18, 2006  

South Dakota tribes are meeting this week in hopes of finding a way to negotiate new compacts with Gov. Mike Rounds (R).

The tribes want to change limits currently imposed on their Class III operations. But Rounds, who has talked with individual tribes, hasn't agreed to any new proposals.

In hopes of changing his mind, the tribes might join a statewide campaign to repeal video lottery, a source of income for the state. "You know the vote statewide is going to be pretty tight. The 10 percent of Indian voters is going to make the difference," Walt Big Crow, an Oglala Sioux Tribe council member, told The Sioux Falls Argus Leader.

The tribes are meeting in Pierre on Thursday to form the South Dakota Indian Gaming Association. They invited Rounds but he has prior commitments, a spokesperson said.

Get the Story:
Video lottery fight might create unique coalition (The Sioux Falls Argus Leader 10/17)