Amelia Schafer
ICT
A multi-million dollar casino proposed by the United State’s newest federally recognized tribe has been shot down by its tribal members.
Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina citizens on Tuesday, June 23 rejected a proposed amendment to the Lumbee constitution that would have allowed tribal gaming operations in the nation. The amendment required a simple majority to pass.
theThe special election may not be the end of the line for gaming in the nation. Tuesday’s vote involved amendments which would alter the tribe’s constitution in more ways than just gaming.
“People say this was a vote up or down on gaming, that is not the case,” said Arlinda Locklear, a longtime tribal attorney and Vice Chair of Lumbees United for Accountability, a group formed to challenge the amendments. “This is a vote up or down on a set of four proposed changes to the Constitution, two of which are particularly problematic.”
The first amendment, as it stood, alters what is identified as the tribes current land jurisdiction and territory from what is constitution. As it currently stands, the tribe’s territory includes four county areas in North Carolina – which is the same territory acknowledged in the federal recognition bill signed in December by President Donald Trump. The proposed amendment alters the regions of land designated as Lumbee territory in the Dec. 2025 federal recognition bill.
The second issue, Locklear said, was a proposed alteration of the balance of power within the that could have allowed the removal of required referendums by tribal members. The final two proposed amendments addressed possible tribal expansion into gaming.
“All of us who came together have our own personal views as to which is most troubling, but what happened at the result on Tuesday was that the overwhelming majority of Lumbee voters decided that as a group they are all troubling,” Locklear said.
Tribal members were not given the option to vote yes or no on individual amendments, Locklear said, and could only vote yes or no on all proposed amendments as a group.
“I think the Lumbee people spoke with a clear voice that they want their constitution left alone, and if there’s going to be gaming in Lumbee territory, it will be done pursuant to the Constitution, which requires a referendum by the people to approve,” Locklear said.
Tuesday’s special election came just six months after the Lumbee tribe was granted federal recognition. Federal recognition – among other things – allows tribal nations to operate gaming on tribal lands and use funds generated to support infrastructure projects and economic development.
Per the tribe’s own constitution, any ordinance authorizing gaming must be certified via referendum by Lumbee citizens in order to move forward.
The tribe had proposed building a multi-million dollar casino off of I-95 in Robeson County for a casino and resort, which it said would have generated between 2,750-3,500 full-time jobs, according to the tribe.
Just five days before it was granted federal recognition, the tribe’s for-profit entity, Lumbee Holdings, purchased land for the casino, according to reporting by The Assembly. The day the tribe was granted federal recognition, it purchased additional land totalling 241 acres on the South Carolina border. The tribe reportedly spent $6.8 million on the deal.
The tribe had to move quickly to secure the land, it said in a statement, as the state of South Carolina is considering allowing commercial casinos along the interstate, a move that would allow competitors to swoop in before the tribe could open its own facility.
Since the passage of the Indian Gaming Act in 1988, tribal gaming has led to massive economic growth among Indian Country.
In just 37 years the Native casino industry has grown to generate over $40 billion annually between the over 600 tribally-owned casino operations in the United States.
This massive influx of wealth has allowed many tribes to climb out of poverty. Prior to the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, roughly 31 percent of American Indian individuals lived under the poverty line, making under $30,000 as a household, compared to a 13 percent national average. As of 2024, that percentage has decreased significantly, with an American Indian poverty rate of 19.6 percent opposed to a national poverty rate of 12.1 percent, according to census data.
The tribe is scheduled to discuss next steps during a meeting Thursday evening, according to a tribal spokesperson.
