Tribal Coalition Petitions for Class III

Several of Nebraska’s American Indian tribes have united their energies, creating a petition to hopefully raise Class III casino gaming to another statewide vote.

The Nebraska secretary of states office has received petition information from a coalition of the Winnebago, Omaha, and Santee Sioux tribes.  The tribes would like to negotiate building a single Class III casino outside of reservation territory based on the agreement that they will not construct casinos on their reservations.

Current Nebraska law does not permit Class III games.  Class III games include slot machines and table games.

The Nebraska tribes have made such efforts before.  The state has rejected proposed tribal compacts to permit that level of gambling.   In 2004, citizens voted down another proposal that would have granted the tribes the right to casino-style gaming.

Ben Thompson works for Affirmative Public Policy Solutions, a consulting firm out of Omaha.  The tribes have hired Thompson’s firm to organize the petition drive.  Thompson says the tribal coalition will rely on both hired and volunteer petition circulators.  According to Thompson, the petition drive is less about gambling and more about state and tribal relations.

"It's to promote economic and community development on the reservation," said Thompson. "I think people in Nebraska are going to find this a much better deal for the state."

The tribes have one outspoken supporter in State Senator DiAnna Schimek of Lincolin, “I say more power to them.  I think it’s a shame we haven’t been able to allow the tribes what I consider their sovereign right: to have casinos on the reservations.”

Thompson’s expectation for the petition drive is to get the casino issue on the November ballot.  He then said an economic development feasibility study would be conducted later to determine the destination of the casino.  One member of the Santee tribe has expressed his hopes for the casino to be built near Omaha.

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