Oglala’s Want More Slots

The Oglala Sioux Indian Tribe needs more slots. They have a plan to add more slots at their Pine Ridge Indian Reservation which would give them much needed financial assistance. The beauty of where their tribe’s land is located they would be able to bring in customers from Wyoming, Nebraska and of course, South Dakota.

However, in order to add more slots and expand their existing Prairie Winds Casino, they have to have permission. They would also like to add a new hotel and conference center, which would make it more than just a casino – it would be a destination as well. However, all of this hinges on more slots.

The compact that the tribe has signed with the state of South Dakota only allows them to have 250 slots. This is the same deal that the other seven Sioux tribes in the state have signed as well. Without the ability to add more slots, the tribes cannot grow – which is a criticism of many of the tribes.

They feel that the state is keeping them from realizing their full potentials. They claim that they could be making more money, and supporting themselves better, if they were allowed more slots to come in. Most of the tribes have the ability to hold 500 slots on their gaming floors, and with the demand they could already be filling those slots with people as on the weekends there just aren’t enough to go around.

However, the gaming laws will not allow more slots to be added, and the tribes are trying to get a new compact that would allow them to change it up. They say that Governor Mike Rounds purposefully put the number of slots that they are allowed at a low number so that he could protect the interests of Deadwood – as they give money to the state.



 

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