Mississippi Band of Choctaws

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Philip Martin Faces Runoff Election

In a surprise twist to what most thought would be another routine re-election bid for Philip Martin, the longtime chief of the Mississippi Band of Choctaws, Martin must now face a runoff election against challenger Beasley Denson. Martin has proven to be a strong and effective leader for the Choctaws, but he's been in office for over 30 years. He may well make it in again this time, but he still trails by 47 votes. Coast officials are watching this election closely to see whether or not it might bring a change in plans for the Choctaw's proposed casino/hotel in Jackson County. That change, however, is highly unlikely, as the Choctaws have the money to build whatever they like. The only question would be whether or not a new leader would honor Martin's pledge that a casino would not be built without the consent of the people of Jackson County. With a new chief, all bets could be off.

<a href="http://"http://www.sunherald.com/306/story/76830.html"" target="_blank">Yhe Sun Herald

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Denson Leads in Runoff Election

Challenger Beasley Denson leads longtime Choctaw chief Philip Martin in today's runoff election. Martin, 81, has proven to be a strong leader for the Mississippi Band of Choctaws, but he may have met his match in the younger challenger. The outcome of the election may not be known until absentee ballots are counted Wednesday afternoon. While I think Denson could be good for the Choctaws, there's no doubting Martin's solid record of accomplishments.

The Clarion-Ledger

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A Glimpse of What the Choctaws Propose for Jackson County

The Choctaws of Philadephia are proposing a $375m casino for Jackson County. The ballot initiative is on the books for November. The rendering looks interesting, and I assume that the project may have been designed by Arquictetonica of Miami, the architects who designed their casino in Philadelphia. We shall see what the November vote produces. This looks nice, but I remain skeptical about the chances of any gaming being authorized in Jackson County.

WLOX Channel 13 News

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Jackson County Rejects Choctaw Casino

Jackson County residents have resondedly rejected the Choctaw casino proposal. This means unequivocally that they will propose an identical casino in Harrison County. In many ways, I'm rather pleased that the residents of Jackson County have rejected the casino proposal, It would have faced more opposition from the governor and, possibly from the Mississippi Gaming Commission. Approval is more likely in Harrisojn County, but is far from guaranteed. I have no information about the proposed location in Harrison County.

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Bureau of Indian Affairs Denies Designation of Jackson County Property

The Department of the Interior and the Bureau of Indian Affairs have denied a request to designate the property in Jackson County fit for the development of a casino. This effectively ends the Choctaw's quest to place an ambitious casino resort on the property. According to the report, the BIA did not take the recent vote into consideration. If there is to be a Choctaw casino on the Coast, it's not going to be in Jackson County.

WLOX TV Channel 13 News

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Choctaws Press Ahead

The Choctaws apparently plan to press forward with their hopes for a casino in Jackson County. Why they are doing this is unclear, as they have previously said that they would respect the wishes of the voters in Jackson County. I would imagine that the Choctaws would be better off investing their money in Harrison County. Why not build something else on their property in Philadelphia?

The Clarion-Ledger