Tribal owners of a downtown casino reported that they plan to open on January 10th. Recently, the states of Kansas and Missouri attempted to challenge the operation in court. The Attorney General of the State of Kansas filed a motion with the 10th Circut Court in Denver which asked the court to overturn an October decision that dismissed the federal suit against the casino. Members of the Wyandotte nation, the Oklahoma based tribe that controls the casino operation, has stated that until the tribe is notified by the federal courts, they will proceed with the grand opening. The casino and steakhouse is housed in a former Scottish Rite temple in the heart of Downtown Kansas City.
Other tribes have also attempted to open urban casinos in the area. The Kickapoo Nation and the Sac and Fox Nation recently attempted to work out a gaming compact with the state of Kansas to bring a Vegas-style gaming operation to a section of land along Intersate 70 just west of Kansas City. The state refused to negotiate the compact and the casino bid is currently on hold. With this new KC casino, the time is right for the Kansas tribes to try again.
Many forget that Kansas has an Indian population and that a a few tribes call the state home. States with larger populations receive more attention and federal dollars. Kansas Indians are left to find their own way--casinos would go a long way to increase the sovereignty of Kansas' Indian nations.
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