Citizens of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina voted Tuesday to reject a constitutional amendment that would have cleared the way for tribal gaming and a proposed casino resort development in Robeson County, dealing a significant setback to tribal leaders who had promoted gaming as a pathway to economic sovereignty and long-term prosperity.
According to election results reported Tuesday night, approximately 62 percent of participating voters opposed the amendment, while 38 percent voted in favor. The measure represented the first major tribal vote since the Lumbee Tribe achieved full federal recognition in December 2025.
The proposed amendment would have authorized a new governance structure for gaming operations and advanced plans for the tribe’s proposed Dark Water Resort development on 241 acres purchased near Interstate 95 in Robeson County. Tribal leaders envisioned a project that could include a casino, hotels, convention facilities, entertainment venues, and other attractions.
Supporters argued the project could generate thousands of jobs and create a new revenue stream to support housing, healthcare, education, and public safety programs for Lumbee citizens. Opponents raised concerns about governance changes contained in the amendment and questioned whether tribal citizens were being asked to make a decision too quickly.
Following the vote, Tribal Chairman John Lowery expressed disappointment with the outcome but acknowledged the decision of tribal voters.
“Tonight, a majority of the Lumbee people have spoken, and they have said no to progress and have decided to stay with the status quo or simply staying with the way things are,” Lowery said in a statement following the election.
Lowery had been one of the amendment’s strongest advocates, arguing that gaming could provide a transformational economic opportunity for the tribe and surrounding region. Prior to the election, he described gaming as a means of achieving “economic sovereignty” through a tribally owned enterprise.
According to reports, Lowery indicated after the vote that he does not plan to revisit the casino issue during the remaining 18 months of his term as chairman.
The outcome leaves the tribe’s future economic development plans uncertain. While the casino proposal has been rejected, tribal leaders have previously suggested that the property acquired along Interstate 95 could be used for alternative development projects if gaming does not move forward.
The Lumbee Tribe is the largest federally recognized tribe east of the Mississippi River, with more than 55,000 enrolled citizens.
