Wyandottes say plans would change if slots allowed at Woodlands
By Bob Friskel
of The Kansan
The Wyandotte Tribe of Oklahoma will begin test borings at Huron Cemetery in about two weeks and construction of a gaming facility over the cemetery is expected to start in January, spokesmen said Friday. If no agreement is reached for a casino at The Woodlands race track before January, work will start on the cemetery building. The Huron Cemetery is located behind the old Huron Building just southeast of Seventh and Minnesota Avenue. If the building is completed, and a move to The Woodlands is approved later, the building will not be razed. It will he used for a cultural center, the spokesmen said.
The tribe will hold a press conference at The Woodlands in about two weeks to dis cuss its casino plans at the cemetery and/or The Woodlands.
Paul Filzer, Cleveland Ohio, attorney for Huron Gaming, and David McCullough , Oklahoma City, attor ney for the tribe, dis cussed casino plans in a telephone conference call to The Kansan.
Huron Gaming is a limited partnership of Hollywood Park Inc. and North America Sports Management and is committed to loaning the tribe funds to build the casino over the cemetery; probably about $4 million.
“No final figures are ready,” Filzer said, “but in about two weeks we’ll probably have a press conference at The Woodlands to announce exactly what the tribe is pursuing with The Woodlands and the ceme tery.”
Chief Leaford Bearskin said last week the tribe wants to build a casino at The Woodlands, but with little progress being made will begin plans to construct a bingo facility over the cemetery to raise money for tribal needs. It would be expanded to casino ga ming with state and federal approval and later linked to the adjacent Scottish Rite Temple.
However, Kansas City, Kan., city officials said Thursday they will file suit in federal court this week to stop any construction in Huron Cemetery.
“They can file a lawsuit, but it will be dismissed on sovereign immunity grounds.” Filzer said. “Huron Cemetery has been held in trust for the tribe by the United States since the treaty of 1855. The only party with an interest in it is the Wyandotte Tribe of Oklahoma. The tribe is a sovereign entity. It cannot be sued.”
Filzer said that about Oct. 1 “a massive X-ray type of machine will begin going over the entire ceme tery. It will tell us where bodies are not buried. That will take four to six weeks. At that point it will tell us where to sink pilings for the building. The actual construction could start in January’.”
If an agreement on a casino at The Woodlands comes before January, work probably would not start, they indicated. But if the building is constructed, it will not be razed with a later move to The Woodlands, as previously believed. McCullough said the building would then be convened to a cultur al center/museum. Plans also call for the building to be linked later to the Scottish Rite Temple owned by the tribe. He said the gaming opera tion could be expanded to the tem ple; or it could house the cultural center if a casino is built at The Woodlands.
The two-story cemetery building, being designed by Paul Steciman and Associates of Las Vegas, will be partially enclosed. “There will be room under the building for walking in the ceme tery,” the spokesmen said. “The cemetery will be beautified and will be a memorial or shrine. We’re preparing various contracts now for installation of park-like benches, flowers and such enhancements. Steelman and Associates is very creative. We’ll maintain the integri ty of the cemetery and have an entrance near the monuments off Seventh Street. We envision a beautiful area.
“We’re going forward to build a casino at the cemetery’; but if we get all the approvals for The Woodlands, we’ll stop. Because the state will not permit one tribe to have two casinos.
“The tribe can begin offering high-stakes bingo when the building is completed, but it cannot offer casino gaming without several approvals. The governor and the secretary’ of the interior must give approvals. That’s it.
“The only legislative involvement would be for a compact between the tribe and the state agreeing on the terms. The legislature would need to ratify the agreement. Under law the governor negotiates the compact and the Legislature would need to approve nt.
“The chief is adamant. We need to go forward to generate revenue for the tribe. The proceeds would be used for a comprehensive health program and a trust fund for future generations of Wyandottes.”
The spokesmen agreed parking downtown is limited, but they said the tribe is planning shuttle buses to bring people downtown. Also, the city plans to raze the adjacent Huron Building and former bank building in the block. The city has said that space will be used, for parking pending development.