The Bureau of Indian Affairs has given the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians the thumbs up to open a new casino & hotel in Indiana after agreeing to place 165.81 acres of land into trust.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs has given the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians of Michigan and Indiana the green light to open a new hotel and casino in South Bend, Indiana.

The announcement came in the form of an impassioned letter of approval written by Lawrence S. Roberts, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretay of Indian Affairs and sent to John Warren, Chairman of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians.

The letter apologised profusely for the Federal Government’s treatment of the tribe before stating that Warren was ‘honoured’ to accept 165.81 acres of land, located in the city of South Bend Indiana, into a trust. The tribe first put their hand up about this subject more than four years ago.