Nebraska challenges Ponca's plans for Carter Lake casino

OMAHA, NE - The Nebraska attorney general has filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa to block the decision by the National Indian Gaming Commission for the Ponca Tribe to build a casino in Carter Lake, Iowa. Carter Lake is a few miles northeast of Omaha on the Nebraska side of the Missouri River.

The Indian Gaming Commission ruled last month that the 5 acres of tribal land in Carter Lake was placed in trust with the federal government and qualified for a casino under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.

Attorney General Jon Bruning said "Nebraskans have repeatedly said 'no' to casino gambling in our state. The Ponca Tribe shouldn't be able to circumvent voters' wishes." He further said the location of Carter Lake can only be accessed by driving through Nebraska.

Ponca Chairman Larry Wright Jr. recently wrote to tribal members that the Ponca look forward to the possibility of gaming. "After careful consideration, the Tribal Council determined that it had a responsibility to explore its right to conduct gaming under (the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act) as a means to ensure the health and welfare of the Ponca Tribe and its people."

About the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska
The Ponca has about 2,500 members in Nebraska, Iowa and South Dakota. They received federal reconition as a tirbe in 1990. For more information, visit their website www.poncatribe-ne.org.

Return to Iowa Casinos.