Wounded Knee souvenirs sign. PHOTO BY/Christina Rose.
Prospective buyers close in on Wounded Knee
By Brandon Ecoffey
Native Sun News Managing Editor RAPID CITY— Native Sun News has reviewed documents showing that there are now three separate entities making offers on the two 40 acre plots of land that Jim Czywczynski has put up for sale for $3.9 million at Wounded Knee and $1.0 million at Porcupine butte. The negotiations amongst the three groups and Czywczynski are all in various stages with one group having originally offered $5.1 million in package deal for the land at Wounded Knee, the land at Porcupine Butte, and a collection of 36 paintings that were in the Wounded Knee museum during the occupation by the American Indian Movement in 1973. However this particular group has backed off its original offer to purchase all three and has since made a counter offer to purchase only the 40 acres at Wounded Knee for just over $4 million. NSN can confirm that this group is based in South Dakota and has significant ties to the community on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. “The three groups who have stepped forward are in the process of gathering the funds necessary to purchase the land,” said Czywczysnki. “I would still prefer that the land would go to the tribe and from the way it looks a couple of these groups have the interests of the tribe in mind,” he added. The second interested party is based out of California and had contacted Czywczysnki prior to the May 1 deadline the seller had set for the Oglala Sioux tribe to purchase the land. In correspondence viewed by NSN the group had told Czywczynski that they would make an offer to purchase the land once the deadline had passed. In emails last week the group had told the landowner that they were preparing to make an offer after making their own determinations on the value of the land. Late last week ABC news reported that Czyccysnki had extended the deadline on the sale however Czywczysnki told NSN that this was not entirely true. “The deadline for the tribe or any other Native American group to have first preference on the land for the original asking price has passed. If they were to come to me right now with the funds I would most definitely entertain the offer and more than likely sell to them,” he said. “The only extension is until one of these groups puts together a solid offer and puts the contract in front of me. That is getting close to happening,” added Czywczysnki. The Oglala Sioux tribe told the Associated Press last week that they did not have the funds to purchase the site, and would not be making an offer on it. The third group had not been in contact with Czywczysnki until late last week. The group has employed the services of a local realtor who is working on compiling a detailed history of the deed for the land. According to Czywczysnksi the realtor made a guarantee that the potential buyer was legitimate, and would be presenting him with an offer soon. If a deal breaks prior to our Wednesday print NSN will report from both our Facebook page and Indianz.com. (Contact Brandon Ecoffey at staffwriter2@nsweekly.com) Copyright permission by Native Sun News
Join the Conversation
