A new tribal casino isn’t coming to North Carolina after all. The Lumbee Tribe overwhelmingly voted against building a one on 240 acres of land in Robeson County.
The tribe purchased the land last January.
The Lumbee Tribe Elections Board reported this week that about 62% of 9,000 tribal members voted “no” on the plan. The proposal’s rejection came despite the tribal council voting in favor of the plan in May. Tribal Chairman John Lowery said he was disappointed.
“A majority of the Lumbee people have spoken, and they have said ‘no’ to progress and have decided to stay with the status quo,” he said.
Land Could Be Used For Business Park
Initial plans for the property included a shopping center, golf course, water park, or other entertainment options. Those are in addition to a casino. If the gaming referendum was rejected, Lowery previously said the land could be used for a business and industrial park.
After fighting for decades for federal recognition, that finally came from Congress in December as part of a spending bill signed into law by President Donald Trump.
North Carolina currently has only three casinos: tribal properties in Cherokee, Murphy, and Kings Mountain. Recent moves to add commercial casinos in the state have been unsuccessful.
The Lumbee casino rejection comes after a major businessman and donor in the state urged lawmakers to oppose casino expansion and to reject contributions from the gaming industry.
Tarheel State Poker Scene
For poker players, Harrah’s Cherokee properties in Cherokee and Murphy both offer poker rooms. The casino in Cherokee has historically been a popular stop for the World Series of Poker Circuit.
The property held a WSOPC event in December, with Derek Sein-Lwin topping a field of 1,190 entries in the main event for a $281,514 top prize and his first championship gold ring.
