Comanche Nation Statement From Chairman William Nelson, Sr.

LAWTON, Okla., Sept. 16, 2019 /PRNewswire/ --

On February 16, 2017, the Comanche Nation sent a letter to then-Governor Fallin advocating for respectful government-to-government negotiations to update the gaming compact between the State of Oklahoma and the Comanche Nation.  The Comanche Nation did not receive a response from the State until new Governor Stitt sent a letter dated July 5, 2019 to all Oklahoma tribes taking a faulty legal position that the compacts do not automatically renew on January 1, 2020.   William Nelson Sr., the Chairman of the Comanche Business Committee said, "plain and simple, the Comanche Nation's 2017 letter requesting good-faith negotiations should not be conflated as any sort of agreement with the State's incorrect legal position that the compacts do not automatically renew at the end of the year."   Chairman Nelson continued, "in fact, the Nation unequivocally believes the compacts automatically renew at the end of the year."  Consistent with the 2017 letter, the Comanche Nation--along with 28 other Oklahoma tribes—have recently requested the Governor to provide a proposed new compact to each and every tribe so that the tribes can consider the offer as a unified body of tribal leaders.  In short, the Comanche Nation asks Governor Stitt to act with integrity and be respectful of Oklahoma tribes and the legal terms of the compact.  "Any future negotiations between the Governor and tribes ought to be conducted through good-faith government-to-government negotiations, and not saber rattling and legal wrangling through legal threats and adversarial processes," said Chairman Nelson.   "The State and tribes—by working together—have managed to develop a relationship that has directly benefitted all Oklahomans by the tune of $7.2 Billion in gaming operations and construction projects," continued Chairman Nelson in urging Governor Stitt to not put this good fortune for all Oklahomans at risk.

Contact: Doug Elmets, 916-329-9180

SOURCE Comanche Nation