Broken Arrow Residents Discuss Ways To Stop Controversial Casino

More than 500 Broken Arrow residents showed up to a community meeting Thursday night to discuss ways to stop a controversial casino.

Representative John Sullivan held the meeting in Broken Arrow, and told residents they might be able to stop construction of the tribal casino near their homes - but it won't be easy.

A steady stream of politicians lined up in solidarity against the casino, before a crowd of at least 750 opponents.

They're mounting a political, public relations, and legal challenge to the casino.

"We want to make sure that we don't allow casinos to be built next to neighborhoods, churches and schools" Representative Sullivan told the crowd.

Sullivan outlined questions he has for the federal officials who oversee the tribes and their casinos.

He's asking the Department of Interior whether the site qualifies as Indian land.

Construction on the site started just before Christmas - surprising the residents who live nearby. More than 4,000 of them have signed petitions of opposition.

"It's not really just a not in my back yard kind of argument, it's in the front yards of some place that's special to us, where we go to church and where our kids go to school," said Broken Arrow resident Jared Cawley.

The residents against it believe they have public opinion and the law on their side.

Representative Sullivan will be meeting with officials from the DOJ next week. Also, the new Chief of the Creek Nation plans a press conference next week.

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