The National Indian Gaming Commission announced a decision today on the Meskwaki Bingo Casino in Tama. The N-I-G-C said today the casino in Tama will remain closed for now. The regulating agency shut down the tribal casino in May, citing failure to correct gaming violations. The commission says gaming must be conducted by a federally-recognized tribal authority — and a group that held a re-call election and challenged the last elected tribal leaders won’t give up a claim to leadership. The gaming commission noted in its ruling that elected tribal chair Alex Walker ignored the recall petitions by supporters of Homer Bear, and said today that the casino won’t reopen until the commission’s inspectors see proof that the casino would be operated by legally elected leaders of the tribe. That may be a while since a tribal election isn’t scheduled till October.
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