Senators, congressman oppose planned Okla. casino

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TULSA, Okla. (AP) – Oklahoma’s two U.S. senators and a U.S. representative have joined the opposition to a casino an American Indian tribe is building in Broken Arrow.

U.S. Rep. John Sullivan told the Tulsa World that he and Sen. Tom Coburn have sent letters to National Indian Gaming Commission Chairwoman Tracie Stevens and Assistant U.S. Interior Secretary Larry Echo Hawk inquiring about the status of the Kialegee Tribal Town’s efforts to have land approved for a casino.

Construction has begun at the site, even though there has been no formal approval of a casino there.

Sen. Jim Inhofe said in a statement that he does not believe the Bureau of Indian Affairs will approve a casino at the site.

“Given the strong local opposition to a casino at this location and the land’s proximity to schools and homes, I do not believe that the BIA would approve such an application,” Inhofe said.

Records show that the property is owned by sisters Marcella Giles and Wynema Capps, who tried to transfer it to the Kialegee Tribal Town through a lease, but a Tulsa County district court judge withheld approval of that request, saying they could present the proposal to the U.S. Secretary of the Interior.

Sullivan said he thinks the proposed land transfer is illegal.

“We want to put pressure on the NIGC and the BIA,” Sullivan said. “We want to derail this.”

Tiger Hobia, the Town King of the Kialegee Tribal Town, has declined interview requests, but said in a Dec. 24 statement that the tribe has no other economic development opportunities.

“The Kialegee Tribal Town project is the epitome of the Congressional vision for Indian economic development,” his statement said, adding, “This is one of the very reasons the Indian Gaming Act was enacted.”

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Information from: Tulsa World, http://www.tulsaworld.com