Mississippi county rejects Indian casino

Wednesday, July 18, 2001 | 11:10 a.m.

A Louisiana Indian tribe had its proposal to build a $100 million casino in Greene County rejected.

It was the Jena Band of Choctaw Indians' second attempt to build a casino in Mississippi in less than a month.

The Tishomingo County Board of Supervisors, in northeast Mississippi, voted 3-2 against a similar proposal on June 29 after a straw vote in which residents rejected the offer, 3,923 to 3,222.

Greene County supervisors voted 4-1 Tuesday against the tribe's proposal.

Although Indian casinos are untaxed, the tribe offered both counties a share of its revenues, which it estimated at up to $4 million a year.

Supervisors rejected the plan even as they face a shortfall of at least $500,000 in the county's $6 million operating budget this year.

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