American Indian Cultural Center. Should we pay?

[Fyrtwuck]

No, our taxes should NOT be spent for this. They can come up with the money to complete it in a week or less just from Casino profits.

 

[gregorius]

The state should finish what they started, and no, they shouldn't ask the tribes for any more money. Several of the tribes have already chipped in, even though the project wasn't their idea in the first place.

 

[inactive]

Hell No!

And my wife and kids are on indian rolls. The tribes can build it.

no way man. them injuns have all the money they need

No, our taxes should NOT be spent for this. They can come up with the money to complete it in a week or less just from Casino profits.

Again, the tribes had nothing to do with the building of this. It was our own legislature. Why should they get called on the carpet and somehow looked to finishing what the state botched?

 

[gregorius]

Why should they get called on the carpet and somehow looked to finishing what the state botched?

It seems from the other comments on this thread that they think the tribes should pay because everyone seems to think they are making a zillion dollars from casinos. They aren't making nearly as much as some people seem to think (ever heard of overhead? gees).

I am with you, this is on the state, not the tribes. Just because it is called the American Indian Cultural Center doesn't mean the tribes had jack to do with its creation. As someone else pointed out, many of the tribes have their own cultural centers on Indian land that were their ideas, and they paid for them already.

 

[UnSafe]

My issue is the management of the project to date. One of our State Reps (Don't recall which) has argued for an audit of the center before any more state money is spent.

Great idea! Let's find out why they've gone so far over budget and time. I wouldn't be surprised if there was a bit of fraud or embezzlement found here and there. Indite a few and watch all the recriminating poo float to the surface. Clean up the operation and bring it under OKC control. Then, it might have a chance.

Still not sure that it will be such a hot tourist attraction. For all practical purposes, it's kind of a museum like the Western Heritage place. It'll draw a crowd, but not "The number one attraction in OKC" as the current conspiritors/ developers are describing it.

 

[tntrex]

Bad idea making tax payers foot this

 

[kirkmuck1]

What do you think, just the pile of dirt cost?

 

[rda1911]

Never understood how Indian tribes ended up with so many casinos in Oklahoma. My wifes tribe has two in Washington state. They would fit in the lobby of the hard rock yet they split the profit among the tribal members. Indians here not so much. Cool thing the casino disbursments are federal tax free.

 

[twoguns?]

Are we talkin what we want , or if we have a choice?
I worked on the building of many of the "casinos"...poorly planned extravagance is all I can say.
It would be cool to have something like this to visit, they really are nice, but who can afford to travel, stay in overpriced hotels and eat out.
This is for the "big spenders", let them pay for it if they want it!

 

[sanjuro893]

Never understood how Indian tribes ended up with so many casinos in Oklahoma. My wifes tribe has two in Washington state. They would fit in the lobby of the hard rock yet they split the profit among the tribal members. Indians here not so much. Cool thing the casino disbursments are federal tax free.

Yeah, the Seminoles in Florida get a check from the casino profits from what I understand. Here, at least with the Cherokees, they just use the money to further the power of the Principal Chief in my opinion. Don't get me wrong, they do a lot of stuff for cultural heritage and provide housing and things, but they pull some real shenanigans up in Tahlequah. Knowing all of that, the only time the state wants to deal with them is when the state will benefit from it and the tribes get the short end of the stick.