UKB chief: Tribe one step closer to casino reopening
May 12—The United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians held its May Tribal Council meeting on May 7, when Joe Bunch, UKB chief, announced the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled "moot" a dispute between the UKB, Cherokee Nation, and the U.S. Department of Interior.
"This next one is a biggie," said Bunch. "With that they issued instructions to lower courts to dismiss the case. That is huge. With that, we can get our application to 2.63 acres of land in trust and finalize that."
The two parties have battled over the land, which was allocated by the Interior Department to the UKB for gaming operations. In 2013, Cherokee Nation sued the UKB over the casino built on the lot adjacent to the Walmart in Tahlequah.
"It is important to note that this decision hampers the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma's attempt in denying the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians sovereignty and the ability to govern ourselves. We thank the Lord for the many blessings he has given us and look forward to our future," said Bunch.
The ruling moves the UKB one step closer to rebuilding the abandoned casino, Bunch said.
Bunch announced that COVID cases have been dropping throughout UKB land, particularly in Adair, Cherokee, and Delaware counties. He encouraged tribal citizens to familiarize themselves with illness in their communities to better keep them safe.
The UKB will abandon a project to acquire Red Oak Apartments in Oaks. The tribe had already signed a check for the acquisition.
"At the last moment, we realized we got notice that there were a couple of things that happened," said Bunch.
Tenants at the Red Oak Apartments had not been notified that the owners had the intention to sell, which stalled the project.
"They wanted $25,000 more. So with that, we said no thanks. We are moving forward," said Bunch.
The UKB received notice from Bacone College in connection with the Department of Agriculture that it has received 10 grants to develop an agricultural education program.
"Additionally, we've received $490,000 to implement an agriculture class for two years," said Bunch.
He announced that this month, members of the Tribal Council will have the chance to attend Kituwa Mounds in North Carolina to celebrate with the Eastern Band of Cherokees and Cherokee Nation.
"The celebration memorializes when we were all together. It is noted that the mounds were built at 1,000 C.E. and served as a meeting place and council meetings and ceremonies, as well as trade centers for the tribes. Kituwa is symbolic because it is the same name as our tribe, the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians," said Bunch.
In response, Cherokee Nation Attorney General Statement Sara Hill offered the following statement:
"The UKB has no land in trust for gaming purposes, and its most recent application to take land into trust is now moot. The Cherokee Nation has consistently opposed attempts by tribes like the UKB to take land into trust within the Cherokee Nation's Reservation boundaries. I'm pleased that the UKB's current effort to take land into trust for gaming purposes has been brought to a halt by the United States Department of the Interior and the federal courts," said Hill.
