City won't support tribal casino without agreement

GROVE, Okla. (AP) -- The Grove City Council says it will not support a planned casino on the shore of Grand Lake unless it can reach an agreement with the American Indian tribe that wants to build it.

The Miami, Okla.-based Seneca-Cayuga Tribe wants to build a $60 million casino that will include a five-story hotel with 125 rooms, three restaurants and a convention center on land that is within the Grove city limits.

The tribe wants the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs to place the land into trust status, a step that is required by federal law before the building of a casino.

The Grove council voted unanimously last week to send a letter to the federal agency objecting to the tribe's plans.

"Until an intergovernmental agreement can be reached through good faith negotiations, the city of Grove, Oklahoma, cannot support the acquisition of land by the United States to be held in trust for the use and benefit of the Seneca-Cayuga Tribe of Oklahoma," the letter states.

That agreement would have to include what city services would be provided for the casino, such as police, fire, street maintenance and storm water drainage. An agreement with the tribe would be necessary "to mitigate negative impacts," according to the letter.

Seneca-Cayuga Chief Paul Spicer said the tribe is willing to reach an intergovernmental agreement with the city, even though one is not required.

"The tribe has no intention of moving one shovel of dirt until an intergovernmental agreement can be worked out with the city," he said.

Darrell Mastin, a spokesman for a local group calling itself "No Casinos in Grove," said some of the town's citizens think there could be negative effects from having a casino within the city limits.

"Our group has studied the effects of casinos on communities and found that, while they do tend to financially benefit depressed areas, they do not have any noticeable positive effect on fiscally thriving communities," Mastin said.

Jeanette Hatta, the Bureau of Indian Affairs' eastern Oklahoma regional director, said no quick decision will be made regarding the tribe's application for trust status for the land.

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Information from: Tulsa World, http://www.tulsaworld.com