OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - The Latest on a ruling from the National Indian Gaming Commission that approves a plan to build a casino near Omaha (all times local):
4:15 p.m.
Ponca Tribal Chairman Larry Wright Jr. says he is confident his tribe will be able to build a casino in Carter Lake, Iowa, now that the National Indian Gaming Commission has approved it.
This week’s ruling is the second time the commission has approved the plan. The casino proposal has been tied up in court battles for the past decade.
Wright says he’s excited about the prospects for the casino because of what it would mean for his tribe.
Wright says the tribe would use the money to help its members and build new businesses.
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2:05 p.m.
The attorneys who fought against a proposed casino in Carter Lake, Iowa, say they haven’t decided whether to appeal this week’s ruling from the National Indian Gaming Commission.
The Nebraska and Iowa Attorneys General both are still reviewing the ruling.
Officials in the city of Council Bluffs, Iowa, said they are also reviewing the decision before deciding how to proceed.
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10:45 a.m.
The National Indian Gaming Commission has again approved the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska’s plan to build a casino near Omaha, but after a decade of court hearings, the project’s future remains uncertain.
The Commission ruling this week came nearly 10 years after it first approved the proposed casino in Carter Lake, Iowa.
Ponca Tribal Chairman Larry Wright Jr. celebrated the latest decision because building the casino would give the tribe significant new resources to help its members.
The tribe wants to build a casino with 2,000 slot machines, 50 table games and a 150-room hotel.
Iowa Attorney General spokesman Geoff Greenwood says the office is still reviewing the decision and deciding whether to appeal.
The Nebraska Attorney General’s office didn’t immediately respond to a message Wednesday.
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