Despite legal challenges, the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska recently announced its proposed Prairie Flower Casino will open in late October in Carter Lake, Iowa, located five minutes from downtown Omaha. The state of Iowa and the nearby city of Council Bluffs have filed a lawsuit against the National Indian Gaming Commission, which approved the casino, to try to stop the project. Council Bluffs officials said tax revenue and charitable contributions generated by the city’s casinos would be affected. Nebraska, whose constitution bans casino gambling, also joined the lawsuit because although Carter Lake is an Iowa municipality, it’s actually is surrounded by Nebraska due to shifts in the Missouri River.
Phase one of the 9,500 square foot Prairie Flower Casino will include 200 slot-style games and a full-service bar and snack bar. It will create about 100 jobs at first, officials said.
Tribal Chairman Larry Wright Jr. noted Prairie Flower was the name of a daughter of former Tribal Chief Standing Bear. She died during the tribe’s 500-mile forced removal from their land in northeast Nebraska to Oklahoma in June 1887. “With its name, we honor our tribe’s past and the sacrifices our people made, while charting a new path of prosperity for our tribe. The Prairie Flower Casino will allow us to better serve our members, while bringing economic development and growth to the Carter Lake region.” The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community is financing construction of the casino.
About half of the 4,300 members of the Ponca Tribe reside in Iowa and Nebraska. Wright said discussions are taking place about whether tribal members will receive any payment from casino proceeds. “That will be a decision for our tribal people to decide, and we continue to work on that item specifically. But we want to be sure we had other issues addressed first before we start spending money.”
Meanwhile, Ponca Enterprise Gaming LLC, a subsidiary of the Ponca Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma, recently named Frankfurt-Short-Bruza Associates PC as the architect and CP&Y Inc. as the civil engineer for its Fancy Dance Casino to be located near Enid, Oklahoma. PEG officials also announced it has reached an agreement with Noble County Rural Water District No. 2.
PEG board of directors Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Richard Lonsinger said phase one of the project will be completed this year. He noted the casino project will create hundreds of construction and permanent jobs. “Although the overall impact of the project will provide local stimuli for surrounding counties and cities, the long-term benefits to the citizens of the Ponca Tribe are the force driving the casino’s development,” Lonsinger said.
He added over the past six months, PEG and tribal officials have been working with local government officials and investing in infrastructure to make sure the site has water, electric and roadway access. “Airport Road will be paved at the tribe’s expense and emergency and safety services will be enhanced. The Ponca Tribe is a good partner to the city and county governments. And this endeavor will only reinforce that. The city of Perry in particular has demonstrated strong support for this project and PEG has been working closely with city government and the Perry Chamber to identify resources and ways to work together to the benefit of both parties,” Lonsinger said.
The project also is supported by Global Gaming Solutions LLC and the Chickasaw Nation, both based in Ada.
Meanwhile, rumors are circulating about another casino in Enid. City Manager Jerald Gilbert said, There’s nothing imminent. There is a group working on that, yes. I think at some point, when they are ready, or they think they want to, I have invited them to come to a study session and talk about their efforts with the city commission. At this point, we haven’t finalized a time for them to do that.”
