Naskila Casino Resort - 2025 News Archive

First Texas Casino Resort gets Federal Approval

The federal government confirmed approval for the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe to build the first casino resort on reservation land in Polk County, Texas. The location is 82 miles north of Houston.

The new casino named Naskila Casino Resort will built in Leggett, TX and replace the existing Naskila Gaming in nearby Livingston. The groundbreaking for construction is expected before the end of this year.

Federal Approval
The federal approval was confirmed by both the National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) and the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), which stated the casino site on US 59/I-69 North near Leggett in east Polk County is tribal reservation land and qualifies for an Indian gaming casino in compliance with the U.S. Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.

Tribal Approval
After receiving federal confirmation of the casino approval, the Tribal Council hosted a General Membership Meeting on September 20, 2025 and proposed moving the existing Naskila Gaming casino in Livingston to the new location in Leggett when it opens. The relocation was approved by tribal members.

"We are grateful for the support of our membership and for the confirmation from federal agencies that allow us to proceed with the project on our reservation land in Leggett.

"This resort will create significant economic opportunities and providea premier entertainment destination in East Texas."

- Cecilia Flores, Tribal Council Chairwoman

New Naskila Casino Resort
Naskila Casino Resort will be the first-ever, full-scale casino resort in Texas. The building plans have been shared with local officials in Polk County. However, details about the features, timeline, investment, etc. have not been released to the public. The tribe says it will release that information later along with updates as they become available.

First Casino Resort Coming to Texas!

The Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas is preparing to build the first Texas casino resort at a location 82 miles north of Houston. The project is allowed by a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in June 2023 that affirmed the tribe's right to operate Class II casino gaming under the U.S. Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. A Class II casino pays jackpots from a player betting pool rather than from the house (Class III).

Naskila Casino Resort
The Alabama-Coushatta Tribe has named the new casino the Naskila Casino Resort. The project is currently in the planning stage for a building site near Leggett in eastern Polk County, Texas. The casino will be 90 minutes northeast of Houston on US 59/I 69 North.

Location
Naskila Casino Resort will be built along US 59/I-69 North at Farm to Market Road 942 just southeast of Leggett. The land is owned by the tribe but is outside the reservation. A letter from the National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) dated September 23, 2025 confirmed the land qualifies for the new casino.

"We have received confirmation from the (NIGC). We had made a petition to them about gaming on Tribal properties outside the reservation in eastern Polk County. The Leggett land is eligible for gaming, so we plan to develop our Naskila Casino Resort there."

- Cecilia Flores, Chairwoman Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas

Features
Few details have been released. According to a press announcement in April 2024 the new casino resort will have a "state-of-the-art" casino floor with Class II gaming, a hotel, multiple dining options, and an entertainment venue. The number of slot machines is expected to exceed the 800 currently operating at Naskila Gaming in Livingston, Texas.

Timeline
The development project for the Naskila Casino Resort is in the planning stage. FFKR Architects is developing the plans. No target dates or timeline for construction has been announced.

New Texas Casino Resort Project | Feb. 2025 Update

There has been little information released about plans to build a new casino resort in East Texas since its announcement in April 2024 by the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas. The casino will be built on reservation land about 82 miles north of Houston.

A press release last April said the casino resort will feature a "state-of-the-art casino floor, hotel accommodations, and various dining and entertainment options". No further description has been released. We also do not know the name of the casino and the construction schedule for groundbreaking through commpletion.

The tribe explains the reason for not disclosing additional information is due to the project being in the early stages of planning, and the details have not been finalized

The casino resort is being designed by FFKR Architects, a Salt Lake City company. FFKR is known in western states for its interior designs that display cultural elements of nature and tribal heritage. The company has previous experience with Native American casinos including Shoshone-Bannock Casino Hotel in Fort Hall, Idaho, and Tachi Palace Casino Resort near Bakerfield, California.

As the casino announcement approaches a year tthis April, we expect to learn more details about the plan from the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe.