23/06/2004 12:57
Indians lose gamble to build casino
|
Massachusetts is safe from casino gambling — for now. But the efforts will continue because there is too much money at stake.
The federal Bureau of Indian Affairs turned down petitions from two Nipmuc Indian tribes for federal recognition last week. But this recognition has little to do with heritage and everything to do with money — millions and millions of dollars.
Federal recognition of an Indian tribe allows the group to open a casino on tribal lands. So it is no coincidence that the Nipmuc Nation's effort to gain federal approval has been bankrolled by a Minnesota casino management group, Lakes Entertainment, which has spent $4.6 million trying to convince federal officials that the Nipmucs, in western Massachusetts, are real Indians.
Full story:SouthofBoston.com
|
