An appeals court ruling may allow the United Keetoowah Band (UKB) of Cherokee Indians to reopen an Oklahoma casino that closed when the Cherokee Nation sued the UKB in 2013.
At the recent tribal council meeting of the Oklahoma-based United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians, Chief Joe Bunch announced the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled “moot” a dispute between the UKB, the Cherokee Nation and the U.S. Department of Interior. Bunch said, “With that they issued instructions to lower courts to dismiss the case. That is huge. With that, we can get our application to 2.63 acres of land in trust and finalize that.”
In 1986, the Interior Department allocated land for UKB to build a casino on a lot adjacent to a Walmart in Tahlequah. In 2013, the Cherokee Nation sued the UKB which subsequently closed the casino. In June 2020, the UKB signed a Class III gaming compact with Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt, but the compact did not permit casino operations at the Tahlequah casino due to the ongoing legal disputes.
Bunch said thanks to the ruling, the UKB is one step closer to rebuilding the abandoned casino. “It is important to note that this decision hampers the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma’s attempt in denying the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians sovereignty and the ability to govern ourselves, Bunch said. Previously he stated, “We have certain rights as well. We are a successor in interest to the historic Cherokee Nation, and we believe we have equal powers and authority. It’s unfortunate that people can’t see that, that there are two federally recognized tribes in town.”
