$stalker The Jackson County Board of Supervisors wants voters to decide this November whether to host an off-reservation sought by the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians.

The tribe wants to build a casino in Ocean Springs, more than 200 miles from the reservation. The 100-acre site is located near a major interstate.

Chief Phillip Martin said the tribe won't move forward without local support. He asked for a 2008 non-binding referendum but due to legal concerns, the county asked the state Legislature to put the issue to a vote this November.

The tribe is proceeding under the two-part determination section of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, although correspondence with the Interior Department indicates the tribe sought to place Class II machines on the site without going through the process.

Get the Story:
County asks to place casino vote on ballot (The Mississippi Press 2/21)
County officially requests OK for casino vote (The Biloxi Sun Herald 2/21)
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