OHIO Indian tribe plans casino along I-75

The tribe chose the site because of its visibility.
MONROE, Ohio (AP) -- The Eastern Shawnee Indian Tribe will buy a 150-acre site in a commercial park along Interstate 75 to develop a casino, tribal officials said Friday.
The Oklahoma-based tribe said it plans to invest $250 million at the site about 25 miles north of Cincinnati and still hopes to develop five to seven gambling operations throughout the state.
The tribe hopes to close soon on its contract to purchase the land, which is in the 800-acre Corridor 75 Park off the interstate, said Terry Casey, a Columbus consultant representing the tribe. He would not say when the deal will close.
The tribe will need two years to design the development and will work with neighboring landowners on hotel, retail and entertainment facilities that could open in several years, Casey said.
What's allowed
Gov. Bob Taft opposes any expansion of gambling in Ohio. Casey said, however, that laws in Ohio would allow a variety of card games and use of bingo gambling machines at the casino.
Tribal officials hope to complete their long-term statewide plan and meet with state officials in December to discuss the prospects for investment and economic development in hopes of getting state approval to offer more gambling, Casey said.
Casey said the tribe has dropped its interest in sites at nearby Middletown, because of the Monroe site's visibility and access to Interstate 75, but still wants to buy a 130-acre site in rural Botkins about 50 miles north of Dayton. He said the tribe isn't ready to disclose its other preferred locations.
Indian casinos already are prominent around the country.
The Eastern Shawnees say they are compiling research on the tribe's historic claim to Ohio lands as part of an expected application to the U.S. Department of the Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs for permission to run gambling operations in Ohio. The tribe was native to Ohio before its forced march to Oklahoma in the 1800s.
Governor must approve
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1987 that American Indian tribes could run gambling operations on their sovereign land as long as it was legal in their respective states.
A year later, Congress passed the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, which gave states some control by requiring the governor's approval to conduct Class III gaming, which includes slot machines, blackjack and other traditional casino games.
If the Bureau of Indian Affairs gives approval for the Shawnees to open casinos in Ohio, the tribe could then ask Taft to allow Class III gambling, Casey said. The state would receive a cut of that revenue, he said.
If Taft refuses, the Shawnees could appeal to the bureau or sue.
Since Ohio law already allows the lottery, affiliated games and charitable gambling, the tribe believes it can proceed with Class II gambling, which includes bingo gambling machines, pull-tabs and card games against other players, Casey said. The state would not receive revenue from Class II gambling, he said.