Thursday, August 24, 2006

As reported by the Daily Breeze: "A Los Angeles tribe is pushing an unlikely
bid to establish an Indian casino at Inglewood's Hollywood Park racetrack.
"The proposal developed by Santa Monica attorney Jonathan Stein for the
Gabrielino-Tongva Band was quietly inserted this week into a bill by
Assemblyman Tom Umberg, a lame-duck Democrat from Orange County. "But the
proposal faces major legal obstacles, even if it had political support in
the Legislature, which appears doubtful. "The Gabrielino-Tongva, a tribe
with several factions that claim greater Los Angeles as aboriginal lands, is
not recognized by the federal government, a requisite to have land taken
into trust, which is generally required to conduct Indian gambling. "The
Gabrielino-Tongva was recognized by the state 12 years ago. A number of
other states also recognize tribes, but the right to conduct Indian gaming
is limited by federal law to federally recognized tribes."