Alabama Coushatta Naskila Casino Livingston Texas
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The Alabama-Coushatta Tribe is asking the U.S. Supreme Court for help with its disputed casino in Texas. In a petition filed September 23, the tribe called on the high court to recognize its sovereign rights over its homelands. Naskila Gaming is the hottest destination in Livingston, TX for gaming, dining, and fun. An enterprise of the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe, Naskila provides endless entertainment to our citizens as well as local residents and tourists in and near Livingston. We’re open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including holidays.
Dianna WrayThe Alabama-Coushatta's Naskila Entertainment Center has been up and running since the beginning of June without a word of reproach from the state authorities. However, a recent decision from a federal judge in Texas could open the door to new legal problems for the Alabama-Coushatta, despite the fact that the ruling has nothing directly to do with their tribe.
The tribe has been fighting to reopen its casino, located on the reservation just outside of Livingston, ever since the state forced them to close back in 2001. The state has maintained the tribe is bound to follow state gaming laws while tribal members insist they are governed by federal law and thus allowed to have gaming on reservation lands. Ultimately, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals sided with Texas and that was the end of the story for more than 14 years.
Last fall the Alabama-Coushatta finally had some success when the Department of the Interior and the National Indian Gaming Association decided the Alabama-Coushatta (along with the Tigua located on a reservation near El Paso) have the right to offer bingo and electronic bingo on their reservation.
When the state didn't respond to the National Indian Gaming Association pronouncement, the tribe assumed Texas officials had accepted the decision and went about getting the casino ready to open its doors after more than a decade. The Naskila Entertainment Center opened on June 2.
However, at about the same time U.S. District Judge Kathleen Cardone ruled against the Tigua tribe's request to drop a court ordered injunction against gaming on the Tigua reservation, disregarding the decision by the National Indian Gaming Commission last fall.
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Cardone's ruling doesn't acknowledge the National Indian Gaming Association decision that the Alabama-Coushatta are using as the legal reason they can reopen. On top of that, her decision lines up with the legal stance taken by the Texas Attorney General's Office that tribes can't have reservation casinos in Texas. Even though the Alabama-Coushatta aren't named in the lawsuit or directly affected by Cardone's decision, state officials could still try and use the federal court decision to try and close the newly reopened casino in Livingston, according to World Casino News.
The thing is, the tribe has been waiting for this casino for more than a decade and right now there are more than 300 gleaming new bingo machines waiting for players to try their luck inside the Naskila Entertainment Center. Employees are due to start collecting their first paychecks and the entire reservation is buzzing with new energy, as we've previously reported. It's hard to imagine they'd just close their doors and let the casino go dark again.
We've asked Attorney Gen. Ken Paxton's Office if he'll be weighing in on the Alabama-Coushatta reopening. Spokeswoman Teresa Farfan stated via email that his office would 'not be issuing a comment or statement on this matter.'
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The Alabama-Coushatta Tribe is asking the U.S. Supreme Court for help with its disputed casino in Texas. In a petition filed September 23, the tribe called on the high court to recognize its sovereign rights over its homelands. Doing so would keep Naskila Gaming, a Class II gaming facility, open over the objections of the state. 'This court’s review is necessary to restore nationwide uniformity on an exceedingly important question of federal Indian law and policy, vindicate tribal sovereignty, and enforce the 'enduring principle of Indian law' that 'courts will not lightly assume that Congress in fact intends to undermine Indian self-government,' the petition reads. Normally, Class II gaming falls outside the reach of state control. But the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals has repeatedly ruled that the tribe must comply with the laws of Texas, which do not permit such operations. H.R. 759 goes to the floor of the House TODAY and we really need your support! Please follow the link to let your Congressional Representative know you support Naskila Gaming. Help us tell Congress that H.R. 759 is a win-win for Deep East Texas. https://t.co/B6fBQA7b37pic.twitter.com/bqCj2BL65X
— Naskila Gaming (@NaskilaGaming) July 24, 2019 To clarify the matter, the Democratic-controlled U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R.759, the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo and Alabama-Coushatta Tribes of Texas Equal and Fair Opportunity Settlement Act, by a voice vote on July 24. The bill puts the tribe, as well as the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo, whose gaming facility is also in dispute, on the same footing as nearly every other Indian nation. The measure enjoys bipartisan support. But it has yet to be taken up by the U.S. Senate, which is in Republican hands. The state of Texas opposes the bill, a stance which some Republicans have cited as their reason for not supporting it. The tribe has said it will work with its Senate delegation to address any concerns. 'We understand passage of H.R.759 in the United States House of Representatives is a stepping stone toward becoming law and look forward to working with Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz,' Chairwoman Cecilia Flores said in a July 25 statement, referring to Cornyn, who serves in the Republican leadership in the chamber and was attorney general when the state shut down the tribe's prior casino, and Cruz, a former Republican presidential candidate who is known for injecting uncertainty in the legislative process. 'We see and hear the outpouring of support from our friends, neighbors and legislators.' The state's response to the tribe's petition is due October 25, according to Docket No. 19-403. Assuming a response is filed, the tribe will be able to submit a reply before the justices of the Supreme Court take the petition under advisement. It takes a vote of at least four justices for a petition to be granted and heard by the court. Historically, Indian gaming cases are rarely granted. Court documents for Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas v. State of Texas can be found on the NCAI-NARF Tribal Supreme Court Project website. Texas v. Alabama-Coushatta Tribe (March 14, 2019)House committee advances bill recognizing sovereign rights of tribes in Texas (June 21, 2019)
House Committee on Natural Resources set to advance Indian Country bills (June 17, 2019)
Trump administration supports sovereignty for tribes in Texas (September 14, 2018)
Tribes once again ask Congress to recognize sovereign rights in Texas (September 10, 2018)
Alabama Coushatta Naskila Casino Livingston Texas Restaurants
Texas Tribune: So why do I have to go to other states to gamble? (March 20, 2018)Alabama-Coushatta Tribe backs bill in Congress to restore gaming rights (February 26, 2018)
Bill affirms Alabama-Coushatta Tribe and Tigua Tribe gaming rights (February 15, 2018)Alabama-Coushatta Tribe vows fight to protect casino after loss in court (February 7, 2018)