Lumbee council approves constitution change for I-95 casino plan

The Lumbee Tribal Council voted 17–2 to approve a constitutional amendment that would expand tribal governance powers. The amendment would give the tribal government authority to enact ordinances, regulate internal affairs and oversee economic activity. It would also create formal regulatory structures, enable commercial and sovereign partnerships with developers and state agencies, and set rules for how revenue would be allocated before any gaming proceeds.

Council approval must be followed by a vote of the full tribal membership before the changes take effect.

The vote follows full federal recognition on December 17, 2025, and a January purchase of roughly 241 acres near an I-95 interchange in Robeson County near the South Carolina border. Federal recognition establishes a government-to-government relationship with the United States and allows the tribe to pursue gaming under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, including applying to place land into federal trust, a prerequisite for a Class III tribal casino.

Lumbee Chairman John Lowery estimates federal programs tied to recognition could bring the tribe between $70 million and $80 million a year. Local estimates project a casino at the Robeson County site could create about 3,000 jobs.

A Lumbee casino would be the fourth tribal casino operating under IGRA in North Carolina, joining Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort, Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino & Hotel and the Catawba Nation’s Two Kings Casino, which is opening in phases with a permanent facility expected in 2027. The Catawba Nation and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians opposed Lumbee federal recognition at a Senate hearing in November 2025, citing concerns about competing gaming markets.

Before any casino can open, the tribe must win member approval of the constitutional amendment, apply to the Bureau of Indian Affairs to place the purchased land into federal trust, negotiate a state compact for Class III gaming if that path is chosen, and obtain regulatory and environmental approvals for the Robeson County site. The land-into-trust process can take multiple years and has in some cases been delayed or reversed by legal and political challenges.

Tribal officials have begun planning regulatory and economic frameworks for a possible development. Timelines will depend on federal review, state negotiations and local permitting. Regional leaders will closely monitor the membership vote and the federal trust process.