The Shinnecock seal
The Shinnecock Indian tribe could be one step closer to opening a casino near its Long Island territory and reaping other economic opportunities, after receiving formal recognition from the federal government, according to the Associated Press. Only indian tribes that have been officially recognized by the U.S. government are permitted to own and operate a casino. The announcement today comes after a decades-long effort on the part of the tribe to gain official status from the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The tribe first attempted to open a Southampton casino in 2003 on land within its territory. Shinnecock officials say that no casino location has been selected yet. [Crain’s]