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There is a tense climate in Florida surrounding the
debate about whether or not the Seminoles have the right to operate Class
III slot machines. Now that Broward County operates Class III slot machines
by federal law the Indian reservations have the right to operate slot
machines of the same class operating anywhere else in their state. Currently
the Seminole tribe operates a bingo facility on their reservation.
The Governor’s office claims that they are not against the reservation
obtaining the Las Vegas style slot machines—they are actively in
negotiations about the slot machines with the Seminole tribe. But according
to the governors office, the Seminoles are not open to the negotiations.
They believe that the Seminoles are straight out refusing the negotiations
because they neither like nor agree with the restrictions Florida is placing
on them.
Part of why the state believes that restrictions are necessary centers on
the fact that the Seminole’s Big Cypress Reservation, where the slot
machines would be located, is what is termed an “environmentally sensitive”
area. The state doesn’t want to keep the slot machines off of the
reservation, they just want to limit the number of slot machines operating
on the reservation—which would then limit the amount of traffic and
pollution.
The tribe though feels that they are being misrepresented by the Governor’s
office—they are willing to engage in the negotiations, and they have not
commented to the fact that many believe they are holding out for a better
deal with the federal government. According to the Seminole’s spokesman,
Gary Bitner, “there were a combination of reasons negotiations [regarding
the slot machines] broke down…the tribe has been reasonable and will
continue to be reasonable in negotiations.”
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