Barry Richard, attorney and chief negotiator for the Seminole Tribe of Florida, said the state of Florida ignored the deadline for selecting a mediator to settle their dispute with the tribe. Last month, the tribe sent the state a “notice of commencement of compact dispute resolution procedures” and asked the state to agree on a mediator under the guidelines outlined in the compact. But Richard said since Tim Cerio, Governor Rick Scott’s general counsel, did not choose a mediator from a list proposed by the American Arbitration Association, the tribe chose its own mediator. “I don’t know what that will do,” Richard said.
The state’s compact with the tribe expired July 31, at which time the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation asked the tribe to provide them with a “timeline for the closure of banked card games at your tribal facilities.” Under the compact, the tribe must stop offering the games within 90 days. However, the tribe said it will continue to offer the games since the state broke the compact by allowing the games to be offered electronically at other casinos.
Legislators, who returned to Tallahassee Monday, August 17 to address court-ordered redistricting, may be ready to renegotiate a deal with the tribe. The expired compact granted the Seminoles exclusivity in offering the card games in exchange for giving the state $1 billion over five years. Rumors are circulating the state may ask for more money in exchange for another exclusive deal. However, Richard said, talks with the state are “going nowhere.”
