The Osage Nation of Oklahoma, is pursuing a casino in Missouri, in Cuba, Kimberling City or along Interstate 44. The Osage are using an exception in the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act that prohibits casinos to be built on land acquired after 1988. However, Section 20 of the law exempts land within a tribe’s “last recognized reservation” and allows it to be used for gaming. Any land the tribe would purchase would have to be taken into federal trust, typically a years-long process. Also, the tribe would have to negotiate a Class III gaming compact with the Missouri governor or Missouri, something that previously has not been done.
The Osage Nation’s historical reservation includes the entire state of Missouri. The tribe was forced to move to Kansas and later to present-day Oklahoma, where it operates seven gambling facilities in the northeastern part of the state.
Chief Geoffrey Standing Bear said the tribe donated $52,700 to the Committee for A New Missouri, Inc., a nonprofit supporting the agenda of Governor Eric Greitens. “That was me trying to establish a good relationship with the governor of Missouri. We thought we would show him respect,” Standing Bear said. He added when he asked Greitens if he would support a Native American casino in Missouri, Greitens told him he would if it was good for Missouri and for the Osage.
The city of Cuba is building a 30-foot statue of Osage warriors. Cuba Development Group President Dennis Roedemeier said, “Are we interested? Yeah. Am I counting on it? We’re not there yet. The governor has to bless this to move it forward.”
