PONCA TRIBE ANNOUNCES PLAN TO BUILD HUGE CASINO NEAR EPPLEY AIRPORT

“Gambling with the Good Life” the grassroots organization that has successfully prevented gambling expansion in Nebraska for the past 13 years announces their support for Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning’s action to stop a casino from being built in Carter Lake Iowa, on the west side of the Missouri River, in the middle of Omaha.

Pat Loontjer, Executive Director announced, “Attorney General Jon Bruning has taken a strong and necessary action to stop a huge Indian casino from being built in the Omaha metro area. We believe he should do all he can to prevent the crack-cocaine of gambling slot machines from invading our state. Nebraska voters have said time and again that “enough is enough” and rejected expanded gambling. Jon Bruning is defending these voters and courageously doing the right thing. We applaud his decision as should every voter in the state. Casinos hurt families, raise taxes and provide no social or economic benefits. The Ponca Tribe (which is tax exempt) was allowed to put the Carter Lake land in trust by promising to build a health clinic on the 5 acres and not a casino. Clinic and casino both begin with “C” but one brings health and the other heartache, they are not interchangeable.”

SUMMARY OF THE PONCA’S PROPOSAL FOR A CARTER LAKE CASINO

• In 1877 flooding and shifting of the Missouri river left a small parcel of Iowa land (2,000 acres) on the Nebraska side of the river. This is Carter Lake, Iowa, population 3,300.
• Carter Lake is just northeast of downtown Omaha and directly across from Eppley airport. It is within a short distance of the new Quest Center, Gallup University and the proposed stadium.
• In 1962 the Federal Gov. at the request of the Ponca tribe terminated the tribe’s status and divided its land and money among its members which were less then 70 in number at that time.
• In 1990 the Federal Gov. recognized the Poncas as a tribe. This made them eligible for Federal funding, which they have made extensive use of. They claim 1,000 members in Nebraska & Iowa but this has yet to be proven.
• The Poncas are the smallest of Nebraska’s 4 tribes and have no reservation.
• In 1999 the Ponca tribe purchased 5 acres of land in Carter Lake and had it taken into “Trust” in 2002 for the purpose of building a health clinic. There is no tribal interest in Carter Lake.
• Tribal leaders repeatedly misled local and state officials in Iowa about the tribe’s actual intentions. Many times they reiterated that the land was for a clinic not a casino.
• In Oct. 2007 (unbeknown to anyone in Nebraska) the Poncas appealed to the National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) to be able to build a casino on that land. It was denied because the site was not taken into Trust for gambling purposes under the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) regulations. They appealed the decision.
• On Dec. 31, 2007 the NIGC reversed their ruling and allowed permission stating that although there had been deception on the part of the Ponca tribe they could not restrict their land usage.
• The NIGC is an independent regulatory agency established within the Dept. of Interior pursuant to the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988. This is a bureaucracy with no elected officials.
• Jan. 2008 the Sec. of Interior Dirk Kempthorne made a decision to tighten regulations allowing Indians to purchase land off reservations for gambling purposes. He correctly noted that since 1930 tribes have been permitted to put land in Trust for the purpose of tribal unity and the current rash of applications seem to have more to do with money then tribal cohesiveness.
• On Jan. 17, 2008 Carter Lake Mayor Russell Kramer said, “I have no problems with casinos at all”. But he wondered how it would affect his police and volunteer fire department. And well he should, as Indian casinos pay no taxes to local or state governments. Carter Lake would also be responsible for road maintenance and counseling for problem gamblers that would inevitably results from a casino within walking distance of Carter Lake and Omaha’s north side.
• Jan. 27, 2008 it was reported that many property owners surrounding the 5-acre parcel were willing to sell their land to the Poncas thus permitting their 5 acres to be used for the casino building alone. 
• What happens many times when Indians receive the “rights” to build a casino is that “right” is quickly leased to a Nevada gambling operation who then funds and operates the project. A percentage is then given to the tribe and a few get rich for doing nothing and the majority see a very small financial benefit.
• Since 1988 when the IGA was passed hundreds of Indian casinos have been built with revenue of $25 billion reported in 2006. Despite this tremendous amount of money very little improvement can be seen in the life style of the majority of tribe members.

Attorney General Jon Bruning’s news release said the following:

Attorney General Challenges
Ruling to Allow Gaming in Carter Lake

(Lincoln, Neb.)  Attorney General Jon Bruning today challenged a decision that allows gaming on land in Carter Lake.  The land is held in trust by the federal government for the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska.

“Nebraskans have repeatedly said no to casino gambling in our state,” said Bruning.  “The Ponca Tribe shouldn’t be able circumvent voters’ wishes.”

Given the unique geographical location of Carter Lake, visitors would have to drive through Nebraska to get to the casino.  Even though the casino is technically in Iowa, it will directly affect the people of Nebraska. 

The National Indian Gaming Commission’s (NIGC) December 31, 2007 ruling reversed the previous findings of the NIGC chairman that no gaming could occur on the property.  

Typically, land held in trust by the federal government for a tribe after 1988 isn’t eligible for gaming.  However, one of the specific exceptions is restoration of land for an Indian tribe that’s been restored to federal recognition.  Federal recognition of the Ponca Tribe was terminated in 1962. Recognition was restored in 1990.