The Muscogee (Creek) Nation addressed plans for a gaming complex in Broken Arrow on Monday.
Chief George Tiger says the tribe opposes those plans saying, " I understand that any lease on restricted property must either be approved in open court by the district of Tulsa County or by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. To date, the Muskogee Nation Realty Trust has not received application for a BIA business lease and the district court has withheld approval of the lease."
Tiger also says no Tribal Town can do what he Kialegee plan without following proper procedures. Tiger says he will help the Kialegee Tribal Town with economic development.
The Kialegee Tribal Town wants to build a Red Clay Casino at 111th and 129th in Broken Arrow. State and city leaders as well as the Broken Arrow school district have come out against the plan. He goes on to say to my knowledge no request has been made to the nation seeking consent.
A Tribal Town spokesperson released this statement about the chief's announcement:
The Kialegee Tribal Town is extremely disappointed to hear that Principal Chief Tiger has chosen to oppose our project on political grounds. The Kialegee Tribal Town had hoped that the change in Muscogee Creek Nation leadership would finally mean that all Creek tribal towns would be able to pursue economic development opportunities without opposition and interference. The Kialegee Tribal Town, however, remains hopeful that we can resolve our differences with the Muscogee Creek Nation through inter-tribal discussions. The Kialegee Tribal Town has the legal right as a successor to the Creek Confederacy to pursue economic development on lands located within our former reservation boundaries.
Finally, we have to express sadness that our fellow Creek Confederacy members would oppose for political reasons our attempts to finally attain economic self-sufficiency in light of our shared history of forced removal through the "Trail of Tears." That long march saw many of our people either die or contract illnesses that affected them for the remainder of their lives. In addition, our shared history in Oklahoma was one of widespread lack of economic opportunity and abject poverty for many of our members. Chief Tiger seems to have turned his back on his own tribal and family history and, in the process, proposed that our Tribe forever be second class citizens within its own reservation as defined by federal law.
The Kialegee Tribal Town is a traditional township in the Muscogee (Creek) Confederacy.
Congressman John Sullivan released this statement:
“I want to commend Muscogee (Creek) Nation Chief George Tiger for his statement today publicly opposing the development of a gaming facility at the northwest corner of 111th Street and 129th E. Avenue in Broken Arrow. I met with Chief Tiger, other Creek officials and members of his staff on Friday and we discussed the gravity of this issue as a potential precedent-setting matter that could negatively impact neighborhoods and communities all across Oklahoma. During the meeting, we also discussed the common ground we share – job creation and economic development – for Native Americans and all Oklahomans.
I intend to take Chief Tiger’s statement into my meeting with National Indian Gaming Commission and Department of Interior officials on Wednesday, offering it as yet another brick in the wall of opposition that has been built against this casino development. I am confident it will carry much weight in my and the Broken Arrow community’s efforts to stop the casino in its tracks.”
The Broken Arrow Citizens Against Neighborhood Gaming also said they welcome Principal Chief Tiger's comments, saying the statement shows the Muscogee (Creek) Nation is committed to building communities in Oklahoma.
