The Prairie Island Indian Community in Minnesota recently applied to the U. S. Department of the Interior to have 112 acres of tribal land in West Lakeland Township taken into federal trust. Frequently that’s the first step toward building a casino. However, tribal spokeswoman Stacey Rammer said the tribe has no immediate or definite development plans for the land, located about 30 miles from the tribal reservation. Any businesses established on trust land are not affected by local zoning and tax regulations.
Currently the tribe owns The Treasure Island Resort and Casino near Red Wing, where a $19 million renovation recently was completed. But tribal officials said that area is threatened by the possibility of contamination from the nearby Prairie Island nuclear power plant, which stores used fuel rods near the casino area. In addition, the venue is at risk of flooding since it’s located on a flood plain. The tribe purchased the West Lakeland Township acreage to escape the risks, said Tribal Council President Shelley Buck. “We must prepare for the likelihood that nuclear waste will never leave our ancestral homeland. We have faced unique growth challenges at our reservation and deserve to have a safe and permanent homeland with adequate usable land for our community to expand,” Buck stated.
Acquiring federal trust status could take up to two years or longer, and then state and federal officials would have to approve any gambling license.
