When Kirk Fordice in 1992 secretly signed a compact permitting the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians to operate casino gaming on tribal lands near Philadelphia, no one dreamed it could lead to a multibillion-dollar casino complex in the red clay hills of rural Neshoba County.But 14 years later that has become a reality and Mississippi's once-impoverished Choctaws are rolling in dough from their booming Silver Star and Golden Moon casino operations with attached hotel, dining and entertainment facilities. Under the compact, the state has no gaming or taxing authority over the Choctaw facility.When Fordice signed the compact with Choctaw chief Phillip Martin (without consulting then Attorney General Mike Moore), he signed away any right of the state to share in profits derived from Choctaw casino operations, depriving this state of untold millions in tax revenue. Additionally, there is no provision in Mississippi's compact to renegotiate or amend it, unlike stipulations in most other states that have tribal gaming.
The state will in no way benefit from allowing the Choctaw's to open a casino in Jackson County. It's proximity to the casino's in Harrison & Hancock Counties (who are regulated by the state and pay taxes) would provide it with an unfair advantage. The proposed site in Jackson County is near the Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge, and is surrounded by wet lands. We do not know what environmental impact such a large project would have on the endangered Mississippi Sandhill Cranes. Or how it would impact Jackson County's desire to promote ecotourism in our county. We also can not foresee what flooding it would cause to nearby homes. Then there is the increased traffic it will bring to the area and the fact that the residents of Jackson County have consistently voted AGAINST gambling. All in all this is a bad idea that should be put to bed sooner rather then later.
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