A spokesperson for the Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohican Indians has gone on the record as saying that United States politicians have done an "about face" in regard to the settling of a land claim which could possibly bring an Indian casino to New York State's Catskill mountain area

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An article by The Saratogian has cited tribal president Kim Vele as saying that last March, based on a new regulation, the tribe thought it might be able to settle a land claim without congressional approval (the tribe would give up land in New York for the right to build a casino). Although, in mid-January, after reviewing the proposal, federal officials expressed said the land deal would require approval by Congress.

The report quotes Vele as saying that the casino deal "is by no means dead" and that the tribe still also has pending litigation in regard to the issue.

The New York Times has also run an article on the situation, and its piece has quoted Vele as saying that if the deal is rejected the tribe will continue its fight for the land via the court system. “We’ll go back to fighting it out in the court system, which is an unfortunate consequence,” she was quoted as saying. “I’m confident that the tribe has a very good case.”

(With files from The Saratogian and The New York Times)

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