In Alabama, the Muskogee Creek Nation has filed a lawsuit against Wind Creek Casino to assert their right to repatriate ancestral remains and protect a sacred site. A casino currently occupies the site. In opening remarks, plaintiffs’ attorney Mary Catherine Nagle noted that the land on which the casino was erected is the final resting place of some of the nation’s most significant military leaders, tribal chiefs, and spiritual leaders. Accordingly, the site is sacred to the Muskogee Creek Nation.
The attorney noted that the Muskogee Tribe occupied land in Alabama before being forcibly removed to Oklahoma during the Trail of Tears.
Poarch Creek attorney Mark Reeves, meanwhile, argues that the Poarch Band of Creek Indians have tribal sovereignty over the Alabama site. This gives them the right to make decisions about its development. Thus, the defense position is based on the tribe’s historic right to the site.
The plaintiffs are demanding that the casino, which is located in a sacred site, be demolished. Also put there is the allegation that Auburn University, which was involved in the excavation of the remains, violated the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act by failing to return the ancestral remains to their descendants.
However, despite the growth of the online gambling industry, many people still prefer to play in land-based casinos. And that’s what makes Wind Creek Casino successful even in the age of online gambling.
The Eleventh U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals judges asked questions about sovereign immunity, land ownership, preservation requirements and each tribe’s historical claims to the site. Chief Justice William Pryor issued a statement that he was sympathetic to many of Muskogee Creek’s concerns and that the lower court erred when it failed to analyze sovereign immunity claims for each claim.
The remains were mishandled because federal laws contain loopholes that allow it.
Stephanie Bryan, tribal chairwoman and CEO of the Poarch Creek Indian Band, for her part, called the lawsuit an attack on tribal sovereignty. She compared it to if Georgia told Alabama what to do with its land. She also noted that in the eighties when her tribe bought the land, they asked the Muscogee Creeks in Oklahoma to join them in the purchase and the tribe said no.
Both tribes claim to have a historical connection to the Hickory Ground site. The Muskogee Creek Tribe claims that Poarch Creek originated from an area further south in Atmore, Alabama. The issue is being treated as a human rights issue, so the case is significantly complicated.
Whether the injured party will succeed is the big question. The casino is making millions of dollars and is unlikely to be demolished. Yes, land-based casinos today are under a lot of pressure from iGaming. And it becomes clear after studying online casino review sites. Our authors studied the top of the search engine rendition and found Playplinko there, which is on the first place. This site provides reviews on casinos with popular plinko arcade and other games. Finding the best online casinos with plinko here only takes a few minutes. Dozens of major international brands and thousands of games attract millions of people. The ability to play right from home with PCs or phones is a crucial factor in the success of iGaming.
The story from Alabama is not the only example of gambling litigation of American tribes. In the state of California, a massive tribal casino dispute is taking place. Many millions of dollars are at stake.
