Summary:
- The National Indian Gaming Commission allows the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas to build the Naskila Casino Resort on land in Leggett.
- The project will attract 1,000 jobs, generate additional tax revenue, and stimulate economic growth in Polk County.
- Resort plans feature an expanded gaming space, hotel, dining, and entertainment options.
The Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas has officially confirmed that its long-anticipated Naskila Casino Resort will not be built on the reservation, but on land owned by the tribe in Leggett, just north of Livingston in Polk County, Texas.
The tribal council’s chairwoman, Cecilia Flores, delivered the good news with excitement during a meeting with the Polk County Commissioners Court on Tuesday, where several council members joined her.
Flores made it clear that the tribe has “received confirmation from the National Indian Gaming Commission”, following their petition regarding “gaming on tribal properties outside the reservation in eastern Polk County”.
The commission deemed “the Leggett land is eligible for gaming”, which now allows them to carry on with their plans to develop the Naskila Casino Resort there.
Flores also took the opportunity to once again speak about the project’s long-term benefits for the community, which will include “a whole lot of new jobs, a lot of new opportunities for taxes, income, roads, the whole thing”.
The “Luckiest Spot in Texas”, to Expand
The tribe already operates the Naskila Casino (pictured), which initially had 365 Class II electronic gaming machines in 2016 when it opened and has since grown to over 900 slot machines, along with two cafés, a gift shop, and the Ischoopa Travel Center.
Over the years, the operation has had an undeniably significant economic impact on East Texas, with the tribe injecting over $212 million into the region and making the casino, known as “the luckiest spot in Texas”, one of Polk County’s largest employers, boasting an annual payroll of $22.5 million.
In April 2024, the tribe first announced its vision for a larger destination property, which would expand beyond gaming and include a modern casino floor, a hotel, multiple restaurants, entertainment venues, and family-friendly attractions.
FFKR has been chosen as the architectural company responsible for the design of the project, which tribal leaders anticipate will set a new hospitality standard in the area. The groundbreaking ceremony will be held sometime before the end of the year.
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