
- Details
- By Native News Online Staff
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — The Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association (OIGA) voted on Thursday to amend its bylaws and remove Comanche Nation of Oklahoma and the Otoe-Missouria Tribe from its organization for the rest of the year.
The two tribes came under fire by the OIGA for re-negotiating gaming compacts with Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt in April. The two tribes say that it is their sovereign right to negotiate individually with the governor and do not have to do so collectively.
“Each tribe has the right to negotiate the best compact available for their tribal government. We still support the intentions of the other tribes to fight for the very best compact for their individual governments. I certainly hope as negotiations continue, other tribes won’t be singled out for exercising their tribal sovereignty,” Otoe-Missouria Tribe’s Chairman John R. Shotton said.
Comanche Nation Chairman William Nelson, Sr. says the OIGA should respect individual tribal sovereignty to negotiate new compacts with the governor.
“I believe the hype of United for Oklahoma gets lost when a sovereign nation does indeed practice sovereignty,” Nelson said.
The other Oklahoma tribal nations are suing the state in federal court over the validity of their existing gaming compacts.
Thursday’s action by the OIGA board of directors suspends the two tribes until December 31, 2020.
“This was a difficult decision to make, but it was the correct one. Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association works best when its membership can speak frankly and with the trust that all members are working together to support our industry as a whole,” said OIGA Chairman Matthew L. Morgan.
Last year, Gov. Stitt, who is a tribal citizen of the Cherokee Nation, in his first year in office sought to renegotiate gaming compacts saying the existing compacts are outdated and wants to deal with each tribe individually because the “one-size-fits-all” model no longer is necessary.
OIGA promotes sound gaming policies and practices. More than two dozen Oklahoma tribes are members of the trade organization.
More Stories Like This
American Basketball Association Announces Native ABA InitiativeFour Winds South Bend Upgrades to Class III Gaming Casino
Native News Online Wins Two Awards from Native American Journalists Association
Wahlberg Brothers Are a Big Hit at Indian Gaming Tradeshow and Convention in Las Vegas
Native Gro Offers Tribes a ‘One-Stop Shop’ for Entering the Cannabis Industry
Native News is free to read.
We hope you enjoyed the story you've just read. For the past dozen years, we’ve covered the most important news stories that are usually overlooked by other media. From the protests at Standing Rock and the rise of the American Indian Movement (AIM), to the ongoing epidemic of Murdered and Missing Indigenous People (MMIP) and the past-due reckoning related to assimilation, cultural genocide and Indian Boarding Schools.
Our news is free for everyone to read, but it is not free to produce. That’s why we’re asking you to make a donation to help support our efforts. Any contribution — big or small — helps. Most readers donate between $10 and $25 to help us cover the costs of salaries, travel and maintaining our digital platforms. If you’re in a position to do so, we ask you to consider making a recurring donation of $12 per month to join the Founder's Circle. All donations help us remain a force for change in Indian Country and tell the stories that are so often ignored, erased or overlooked.
Donate to Native News Online today and support independent Indigenous journalism. Thank you.