United Keetoowah Band Opens Office in Ft. Smith

[mcheiss]

Did anyone see that The United Keetoowah Band opened an office Tuesday at 26 N. Sixth St., 12 years after its members crossed the nearby Garrison Avenue bridge to establish one in Waldron? This is somewhere in the general downtown area as well.

I've heard some reports that show around 2,200 members of the tribe live in the Fort Smith area.

As many of you know, this is the same tribe that is planning on building the casino in Downtown Ft. Smith. The office would literally be a few blocks from this site.

IMO, this means that this tribe is really set on opening up a Casino here. It's looking like they aren't going to take no for an answer.

[Mith242]

Did anyone see that The United Keetoowah Band opened an office Tuesday at 26 N. Sixth St., 12 years after its members crossed the nearby Garrison Avenue bridge to establish one in Waldron? This is somewhere in the general downtown area as well.

I've heard some reports that show around 2,200 members of the tribe live in the Fort Smith area.

As many of you know, this is the same tribe that is planning on building the casino in Downtown Ft. Smith. The office would literally be a few blocks from this site.

IMO, this means that this tribe is really set on opening up a Casino here. It's looking like they aren't going to take no for an answer.

Actually no I hadn't heard about that. I'm not sure I would word quite in that manner. But I do think they are taking the casino seriously. It seems to me that to try to get this going anyway they need to have more of a presence there in Ft Smith anyway. But I do wonder if they would actually try to force this if it came down to that. I think they already won a case like that elsewhere.

[mcheiss]

They have an office in Waldron, which is less than 15 miles away from this location. I know they have a large Native American Population in Ft. Smith, but it just seemed to me that the intentions of this office weren't only for helping fellow Native Americans, but to set up base for the future of Gambling in Ft. Smith.

[Mith242]

They have an office in Waldron, which is less than 15 miles away from this location. I know they have a large Native American Population in Ft. Smith, but it just seemed to me that the intentions of this office weren't only for helping fellow Native Americans, but to set up base for the future of Gambling in Ft. Smith.

I guess I see it as them also trying to increase their precense in Ft Smith. To let the people in Ft Smith see that they're there and a part of the community and so on. I do imagine it's tied to the casino. But I'm not sure if they are seriously considering trying to force this. I'm curious what kind of timetable they are considering for all of this. I think if they have some patience that it might make it a little easier for them. I'm not saying that any amount of time will change a majority of the city's minds. But I do think it helps.