Casino opened in April while federal certification remains pending
The Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma’s proposed arrangement with Harrah’s parent company would put the company in charge of day-to-day management of the tribe’s casino in Chandler, Oklahoma. The plan has not advanced since the casino opened in April, according to the Associated Press.
The National Indian Gaming Commission has been without a chairperson since its last chair stepped down in January. President Donald Trump has not nominated anyone to fill the position, the AP reported.
A seated chairperson is required for the commission to certify management agreements between tribes and casino operators. The agency also handles enforcement of legal and safety violations and approval of new tribal gambling laws.
The Iowa Tribe’s arrangement is awaiting that certification. Until the commission has a chairperson, the proposed management partnership remains at the branding stage, with the federal action needed to put Harrah’s parent company in charge of casino operations still pending.
The casino’s opening drew large crowds, a detail Chairman Jacob Keyes attributed to the Harrah’s name. He said customers filled the gambling floor and that cars queued out of the parking lot.
“We couldn’t let them in because we were so full,” Keyes said. “That’s a direct impact from the Harrah’s name.”