Casinos operate despite gaming compact dispute

Casinos operate despite gaming compact dispute

MANY ARE ASKING... AS THEGAMING COMPACT DISPUTEBETWEEN GOVERNOR KEVIN STITTAND NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBESCONTINUES.THE GOVERNOR HAS SAID THEAGREEMENT EXPIRES TODAY...MAKING CLASS THREE GAMING -WHICH INCLUDES THE BLACKJACK TABLES AND CERTAIN SLOTMACHINES... ILLEGAL TO PLAY.HOWEVER, AS OUR KATIEKELEHER SHOWS US, TRIBESTHINK DIFFERENTLY.WITH THE PULL OF A LEVERCHEROKEE NATION PRINCIPALCHIEF CHUCK HOSKIN JR TAKESA STAND AGAINST THE STATE OFOKLAHOMA.

THE ACT ISCONSIDERED ILLEGAL BY THOSEWHO CLAIM THE GAMING COMPACTIS EXPIRED.

HOWEVER, THETRIBES SAY IT WASAUTOMATICALLY RENEWED WITHTHE NEW YEAR.

THEY'RE NOWASKING A FEDERAL JUDGE TODECIDE WITH A LAWSUIT FILEDTUESDAY.PRINCIPAL CHIEF CHUCKHOSKIN, JR., CHEROKEE NATION"Why would we want to endthis?

Why would we want, atthe stroke of midnight, tobring this all to an end?

Ithink everybody in the stateunderstands this needs tocontinue.

Just abouteveryone gets that." THECHICKASAW, CHEROKEE ANDCHOCTAW NATIONS FILED THELAWSUIT.IN A STATEMENT, GOVERNORKEVIN STITT SAID HE WASDISAPPOINTED THE TRIBES DIDNOT ACCEPT HIS OFFER TORESOLVE THE DISPUTE OUT OFCOURT.

CHIEF HOSKIN SAYSHE'S WILLING TO TALKREASONABLY ABOUT THECOMPACT, BUT FIRST WANTS THESTATE TO ACKNOWLEDGE IT WASRENEWED AND DID NOT END.PRINCIPAL CHIEF CHUCKHOSKIN, JR., CHEROKEE NATION"At some point in 2020 wewill get past this deadlinethat he set that we've justblown right through.

Andwe'll get down to thebusiness the people expect.""We spoke with the chiefagain today about what isnext with the gaming compactlawsuit and the casino.

Hesays, as far as businessgoes, everything is normal."PRINCIPAL CHIEF CHUCKHOSKIN, JR., CHEROKEE NATION"So, what's next is weproceed with the legalaction that we took.

We'reasking a very simplequestion.

We're asking afederal judge to answer thequestion, does the compactrenew?

We believe it renews,outside observers believe itrenews, every tribal leaderin the state believes itrenews.

The governor doesnot.

And that's why we hadto go into federal court."TWO TRIBES, THE KIALEGEETRIBE ANDTHE UNITED KEETOOWAH BAND OFCHEROKEE INDIANS BOTH SIGNEDTHE 8-MONTH COMPACTEXTENSION TO KEEPNEGOTIATING.

IN TULSA, KATIEKELEHER, TWO WORKS FOR YOU.TWO WORKS FOR YOU WEATHER