The Muscogee Nation has renewed a lawsuit first filed in 2012 against the Poarch Band of Creek Indians in Alabama for building a casino resort on the site of sacred historical burial grounds, a new article reveals. Additionally, the Oklahoma tribe is challenging a federal judge’s decision in 2021 to dismiss the lawsuit based on “sovereign immunity” of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians. To build its casino near Wetumpka, Ala. the tribe exhumed 7,000 cultural items and 57 sets of human remains near the Hickory Ground burial site. The ceremonial ground was the Muscogee (Creek) Nation’s capital before the tribe’s forced move to Oklahoma in the 1830s.
In this report, SBS will be going over what to look for from the latest gaming news coming from the Cotton State along with some more notes about Alabama wagering and more.
Noted in the same article, Muscogee Nation attorney Mary Kathryn Nagle told two local outlets that the Poarch Band of Creek Indians have shown a “callous disregard” for the Hickory Ground burial site. “Poarch ignored warnings about damaging archaeological deposits and graves. Today, they continue to illegally operate a multimillion-dollar casino resort that sits atop the sacred mound where Muscogee (Creek) ancestors and some of their most prominent leaders once lay in peace,” Nagle said in the article.
She would further go on to elaborate that some of the exhumed items and remains were placed in storage in violation of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act. Robert McGhee, Poarch Creek Indian tribal vice chair and chief government relations and public affairs officer, said in an interview that the Hickory Ground site had already experienced “significant commercial development.” This, he said, was before the tribe conducted its own excavation on it and that it “regularly faced flooding from the Coosa River” and was not in good shape before they worked on it.
Arguments are currently scheduled in the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals. Nagle said 130 Muscogee tribal elders and officials are planning a “march for justice” through downtown Atlanta to the courthouse. The march was followed by a candlelight vigil in a downtown Atlanta park to honor the 57 ancestors whose remains were exhumed. The Poarch Band of Creek Indians became a federally recognized tribe in 1984 but was formerly a corporate entity, Nagle said. In 1980, the Poarch company purchased the Hickory Ground site for $330,000, she said. Half of that amount came from a federal preservation grant requiring a 20-year covenant that limited development on the property.
In other Cotton State news, earlier this fall, despite protests from party executive committee members, the Alabama Republican Party overwhelmingly voted to oppose the expansion of gambling at its summer business meeting. Proponents overcame a failed motion brought by Jennifer Lovvorn and seconded by Lee County Revenue Commissioner Oline Price, wife of State Sen. Randy Price, to indefinitely table the resolution and approved it by a 74%-to-26% margin. Both Joe Lovvorn and Randy Price were proponents of a failed 2024 effort by the Alabama Legislature to pass a so-called comprehensive gambling bill, per the main report.
Opponents of the resolution, the article notes, argued it undermined the effects of Republican lawmakers who were elected to make decisions about the gambling issue. They also criticized proponents who claimed past legislation would have expanded casino gambling to 10 locations within the state of Alabama. Additionally, proponents of the resolution emphasized the resolution did not oppose a so-called “clean lottery.”
Per the same article, the official resolution states that the expansion of casino gaming in Alabama poses “significant risks to the social and economic of our state, potentially leading to increased rates of gambling addiction.” The resolution further notes that there could be increased financial hardship, crime, and other negative societal impacts that disproportionately affect vulnerable populations in the state. Moreover, the report also notes an estimated 86,000 Alabama adults are currently struggling with gambling-related issues, highlighting the “real and present dangers” that gambling poses to the citizens of the state. Also, it showcases the potential for these problems to escalate with the expansion of casino gaming.
Additionally, the resolution notes that studies have shown that expanded casino gaming often results in more than good, with local economies suffering from increased social service costs, crime, and addiction-related issues. Moreover, while the promised economic benefits fail to materialize for most communities, this would also conflict with Alabama’s longstanding tradition of opposing casino-style gambling and the values held in the state.
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As a devout aficionado of sports, Chris Boline has carved a career within the athletic realm. A skilled scribe, he boasts a decade-long portfolio that encompasses coverage of the NBA G League, the Los Angeles Chargers, football and basketball across the country. Beyond his professional pursuits, Chris is deeply invested in his community and dedicates his leisure hours to serving on boards, collaborating with community organizations, and cherishing the company of loved ones. CURRENTLY Business Development and freelance sports writing RESIDES IN Reno, NV EDUCATION University of Nevada BS and MBA EXPERTISE -Sports writing proficiency in: NFL, NBA, UFC, boxing, golf, and some motor sports -Topical news -Promotional and marketing ideas/updates -Business development Summary Chris Boline serves in a business development sales capacity as his day job. He has previously held sales/marketing positions with The Applied Companies (TAC), KTVN 2 News and the NBA G League’s Reno Bighorns, affiliate of the Sacramento Kings. He is a Reno native and is a member of various community boards including the Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, NCET and the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA). Chris graduated from the University of Nevada in 2015 with a bachelors in management and economics and also earned his MBA from Nevada in 2023. More about Chris: Past president of the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA) 2022-23 Two-time honoree for University of Nevada Alumni Chapter of the Year (Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, 2017 & COBAA, 2021) 2021 NCET award for Professional Services Organization of the Year with TAC Northern Nevada Human Resources Association 2020 Best Places to Work-Northern Nevada, Second Place with TAC 2016-17 Reno Bighorns MVP from the Sacramento Kings The Nevada Sagebrush editor-in-chief 2013-15 Associated Collegiate Press 2015 Four-year Non-daily Newspaper Pacemaker honoree University of Nevada, Reno College of Business Dean's List honoree (5x) from 2011-2015 Nevada Press Association award for Best Sports Column – Community in 2015 Education
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