The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians recently announced a referendum to build the tribe’s fourth gambling venue, the proposed million Red Water Casino in Leake County, has failed by five signatures. Chief Phyliss Anderson and the Tribal Election Committee said out of the 1,729 signatures on the petition, six were withdrawn by the signers and 116 were found to be ineligible. That left 1,607 names on the petition but 1,612 were required to support a referendum.
Members of the pro-casino group Chahta for Better Government said the referendum process is far from over. Petition sponsors have three weeks from May 26 when the results were announced to file an appeal to the Choctaw Tribal Court. On its Facebook page, the group stated, “We do not know the reasons for their refusal and we do not know whose petition was refused. We will have to go to Court to find out their reasons why they refused to accept and which petitions were refused.”
A co-sponsor of the petition said numerous complaints had been received about how some of the canvassing was handled.
The 10,800-member Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians is the only federally recognized tribe in the state. In January the tribe announced it had approved plans for the 35,800 square foot casino with 500 slots and 10 table games, located 30 minutes from the tribe’s Pearl River Resort.
Despite the pause for the Red Water Casino, others are moving forward in South Mississippi. Ground recently was broken for the $75 million Beach Casino at Island View Casino Resort in Gulfport. In East Biloxi, the owners of Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut are partnering with Chris Ferrara to develop a casino, and Landry’s soon will start construction of a Saltgrass restaurant across from the Golden Nugget Casino Biloxi. In D’Iberville, the Poarch Band of Creek Indians announced plans for a casino. The gateway to eight casinos, D’Iberville City Planner Jeff Taylor said, “The pass through traffic is just unbelievable.”
