Vote on Mississippi Choctaw casino approved

Friday, March 9, 2007  

$stalker A non-binding referendum on the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians can go forward, the state attorney general's office says.

The tribe wants to build an off-reservation casino in Jackson County. Chief Phillip Martin asked for a non-binding referendum in November 2008.

Unsure of the legality, officials in Jackson County asked for an opinion on the vote. "It is our opinion that the potential impact resulting from the establishment of a proposed tribal casino within the county is an issue within the jurisdiction of the County Board of Supervisors and would be, pursuant to the county's home rule powers, the proper subject of a non-binding referendum, as long as the Board finds that the use of public funds for such a referendum is in the county's best interest," deputy attorney general Mike Lanford wrote, WLOX News reported.

The casino site is in Ocean Springs, more than 200 miles from the reservation. The tribe wants to have 100 acres near a major interstate placed in trust for gaming purposes.

Get the Story:
Casino vote gets the green light (The Biloxi Sun-Herald 3/9)
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Hood: County can hold vote on tribal casino (The Mississippi Press 3/9)
Choctaw Casino Vote Is Okay In Jackson County (WLOX 3/8)