Carter Lake is the only part of Iowa located west of the Missouri River. Casino gambling advocates are poised to make it the newest location of a 2,000 slot casino on 5 acres of Ponca Tribe owned property.
The Ponca Tribe of Nebraska own five acres of land in Carter Lake, Iowa. The tribe purchased the land in 1999 and placed it into trust in 2002 for the stated purpose of building a health clinic. No clinic was ever built. In 2007 the tribe announced their intention to build a casino.
After a decade of lawsuits, appeals, and legal reviews the National Indian Gaming Commission concluded recently the tribe can legally build a casino on this property.
Lawsuits loom as the Nebraska and Iowa Attorney Generals are reviewing the decision. Council Bluffs is likely to oppose the building of the new casino because it would increase competition with other local casinos. Nebraska is likely to oppose it as casino gaming is illegal in Nebraska, and this would place a massive casino on Nebraska’s front door across from Eppley Airfield.
RELATED: 5 Stats Proponents of Building Casinos in Nebraska Don’t Want You to Know
The reality is casinos create more gambling addicts than jobs, for every $1 of gambling revenue the state will spend $3 on increased social services and casinos have been linked to dramatic increases in crime.
Nebraska consistently ranks as one of the best places to live, work and raise a family, and we’ve achieved that status without casinos in our backyard. NFA will continue to keep you updated as this important issue progresses.
Nate Grasz
Latest posts by Nate Grasz (see all)
- Ep. 17 – More Than Mere Politics: What You Need to Know About the Upcoming Election with Marilyn Newland - April 22, 2024
- Ep. 16 – Protecting Fair Play for Girls’ Sports with Dr. Greg Brown - April 15, 2024
- Ep. 15 – We Must Not Remain Silent - April 8, 2024