2006-05-28T05:10:00.000-07:00

In fact, winning federal, state and local support for a casino resort may be the tribe's biggest gamble yet.

The five-step federal process that would allow Indian gaming is indeed long and arduous, as Tribal Chief Phillip Martin told Jackson County supervisors earlier this month.

And there's no guarantee of its results.

The Choctaws also have to convince the governor to allow a casino -- Haley Barbour has balked at their proposal -- and have requested the support of Jackson County voters, who have overwhelmingly rejected gaming in the past.

But before jumping those hurdles, the Choctaws must place their 100 acres of land, located along Miss. 57 near Interstate 10, into a trust for the purposes of gaming, as required by The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988.

Forty acres of the land are already in trust, but only for economic development purposes, said tribal spokesperson Chassidy Wilson.

In order for all 100 acres to be considered for gaming, the tribe must follow five steps set out in the act and one self-imposed requirement.

First, the Choctaws must submit an application to the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

The application then requires an Environmental Impact Study, a process that could take two years to complete.

Traffic patterns and air quality near the tribe's land will be studied, and meetings will be held to determine the environmental impact of a casino resort, said Nedra Darling, spokesperson for the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs.

During this time, the Choctaws will also ask for residents' opinions on the project, said Wilson. Public hearings and meetings will be held, and the tribe will ask Jackson County supervisors to call a referendum on the issue during the 2008 presidential election.

Martin said the first public hearing on the project could be held this summer.

"At the end of the day, the most important element in the process is gaining support from the local community, businesses and government," Wilson said. "The tribe is very interested in hearing what Jackson County has to say."

Although the Choctaws are not required by federal law to seek local opinions, Darling commended them for it.

"It's smart on their part to get public input," Darling said.

"(The Choctaws) are no different from any other business interested in coming to this area," Jackson County supervisor Tim Broussard said. "They would like to feel welcome before they move in."

Public support would also help persuade federal officials and the governor to allow a casino resort, Martin added.

After a public vote, the Bureau of Indian Affairs will seek opinions from Jackson County supervisors and the governor's approval, as required by federal law.

The U.S. Department of the Interior will then provide a legal review of the project, and the BIA's regional director will prepare a "Finding of Fact" brief that will be submitted to the Department of Interior's Office of Indian Gaming Management.

Finally, the proposal is sent to the Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs within the Department of the Interior for final review and approval.

Even if the Choctaws' proposal satisfies federal officials, the governor, and local voters, their casino wouldn't open for another five years, Martin predicted.

But if local voters don't support it, the casino won't open at all, he added.

"If the county doesn't want gaming, it's okay with us," Martin said.

Choctaw casino faces hurdles for approval

2006-05-28T05:09:00.000-07:00

OCEAN SPRINGS -- The Choctaws' plan to build a casino in Jackson County isn't quite as simple as a roll of the dice, despite public perception that the tribe can do pretty much whatever it wants.