Lumbee tribe votes ‘No’ on gaming, nixing plans for casino on Interstate 95
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Lumbee tribe members vote today on a constitutional amendment to pursue gaming.
- The planned resort would be built on 241 acres the tribe already purchased.
- Supporters cite thousands of jobs and billions in regional economic development.
The Lumbee tribe voted down a chance to pursue gaming as a new source of revenue Tuesday, nixing plans to build a casino and hotel complex off Interstate 95.
The anti-gambling contingent won in a landslide, taking 62% of the vote. Tribal Chairman John Lowery confirmed the “No” vote had a clear majority while and other tribal leaders expressed deep disappointment.
“Tonight,” Lowery wrote on his Facebook page, “a majority of the Lumbee people have spoken, and they have said no to progress and have decided to stay with the status quo or simply staying with the way things are. As a federally recognized Indian tribe, we had the opportunity, like so many of our brother and sister tribes, to exercise our sovereign rights to the fullest and generate billions of dollars to assist our tribal members and lift this entire region. This decision by the majority of Lumbee voters is historic and ensures we will not move forward with gaming.”
Tribal leaders had urged the 68,000 members to vote “yes” on a constitutional amendment allowing the move, arguing that doing so could bring thousands of jobs and billions of dollars to a region of North Carolina long struggling with poverty and unemployment.
Rough plans were already drawn for the Dark Water Resort, which would go up on 241 acres of land the tribe already purchased after receiving long-sought federal recognition in December.
Lowery said he will not bring up the question again in the remainder of his 18-month term.
“I will honor the wishes of the majority,” he said.
James Locklear, a tribal member who published the Native Visions newsletter, blamed misinformation for the “No” vote.
Too many members feared the tribal chairman would be granted too many powers under the amendment, which gave him the ability to negotiate a gaming compact. Many, though, held moral objections.
“I gamble and I voted no,” wrote Larry D. Carter on the tribe’s Facebook page. “I’m not living a Christian life, but I feel it’s biblical wrong and will be another tool at the devil’s disposal. I’ve seen gambling destroy people and families in my lifetime.”
Locklear said federal funding for education and health care that comes with federal recognition will not be enough to fill the Lumbee need, which gaming would have accomplished.
“There’s a lot of disappointment,” he said Tuesday night. “This is a major setback for our tribe’s ability to move forward and be a sovereign nation.”
Spread across Robeson, Scotland, Cumberland and Hoke counties, the Lumbee spent decades lobbying Washington for recognition, perpetually falling short of needed votes until last year.
Arguments against recognition frequently came from leaders of the Eastern Band of Cherokee, until recently North Carolina’s only federally recognized tribe, who said the Lumbees’ history was lacking in either a language or documentation.
But crossing the line last year allowed the Lumbee to officially call the question, which along with excitement about much-needed economic growth has raised concerns about relying on gambling and its potential for addiction.
“Casinos with glamorous ‘table games’ also include thousands of sophisticated electronic machines that are no different from the video poker machines that are already prevalent in many strip malls,” wrote Bob Luddy of Raleigh and former NC House Rep. Skip Stam of Apex in a letter to The Robesonian. “These are not old-time video poker machines. They are designed by neuropsychiatrists in league with the gambling syndicates to intentionally addict young people, ages 15 to 25.”
Supporters countered that anyone with a cell phone is already allowed to gamble in North Carolina.
“This is about economic development, the bringing in of thousands of well paying jobs with benefits,” wrote Donnie Douglas, former Robesonian editor and current columnist, in a Facebook post. “The primary people who will be visiting the casino will be travelers, who will leave their dollars behind, not just at the casino, but at hotels, restaurants, retail outlets, golf courses, etc.”
This story was originally published June 23, 2026 at 3:15 PM with the headline "Lumbee tribe votes ‘No’ on gaming, nixing plans for casino on Interstate 95."