Question: If funds are this tight...from what source is the money for the new construction coming?

Ish

August 29, 1997

The Honorable Mayor Carol Marinovich
 Mayor
701 North Seventh Street 
Kansas City, Kansas 66101

Dear Mayor Marinovich:

As you know, the United States has held title to the Huron Cemetery in trust for the benefit of the Wyandotte Tribe of Oklahoma (the "Tribe") continuously since 1855. As such, the Huron Cemetery "Indian lands" under Section 3 of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988 ("IGRA"), 25 U.S.C. 2703(4). Although the Tribe has alwyas had a right to develop and operate a tribal gaming facility over the Huron Cemetery, the Tribe, in deference to the City's wishes, has refrained from developing a gaming facility over the Cemetery, and instead has sought approval to develop its gaming facility at the Woodlands.

The Tribe certainly appreciates the throughly professional manner in which you and Messrs. Hayes and Walker have dealt with the Tribe, as well as your assistance in trying to make the Tribe's Woodland's project a reality. While the Tribe can no longer afford to forgo the income from a tribal gaming facility over the Huron Cemetery. Recent and pending future cuts in Federal programs for Indian tribes require tribes throughout the country to generate revenue from all potential sources, and just as the other Kansas tribes have developed gaming facilities on their Kansas lands, the Tribe will now immediately move forward with plans to develop and operate a tribal gaming facility over the Huron Cemetery.

Please be advised that the gaming facility the Tribe will build and operate over the Huron Cemeterry will offer both Class II and Class III gaming, subject of course to the Tribe's negotiation and execution of a Compact with the State of Kansas. Additionally, while the Tribe intends to begin development and construction immediately, the gaming facility over the Huron Cemetery is intended to be a very temporary facility and will cease operations the very same day that the Tribe's gaming faility at the Woodlands opens to the public.

While I realize that the Tribe's development of a gaming facility over the Huron Cemetery may not be consistent with the city's long term revitalization plans for the downtown area, I hope that the Tribe's gaming facility over the Huron Cemetery benefits both tribal members and the citizens of Kansas CIty. Please do not hesitate to call me at you (sic.) convenience if you have any questions regarding the Tribe's development plans for the Huron Cemetery.

Sincerely yours,
Leaford Bearskin 
Chief