Lumbee voters reject casino amendment near I-95

Members of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina voted on Tuesday to reject a proposed constitutional amendment that would have authorized a casino resort near Interstate 95. Unofficial results show roughly 62% opposed the measure and more than 9,000 tribal members participated in the election.

The vote halts plans tied to 241 acres the tribe purchased in southern Robeson County after receiving federal recognition in December 2025 as the nation’s 575th federally recognized tribe. Tribal leadership had approved the proposed constitutional change in May by a 17-2 council vote.

Under the amendment, the tribe would have removed a requirement for referendums on gaming and would have explicitly authorized the tribal chair to negotiate gaming compacts with the state. The proposal also would have allowed the chair to nominate members to gaming and regulatory boards, subject to council approval, and given the council authority to enact gaming ordinances consistent with federal law. Supporters said those changes would fix inconsistencies in the governing documents and speed the process of opening a casino.

Tribal leaders had presented plans for a resort at the site that included a casino, hotels, restaurants, retail space, a convention center and a golf course. The tribe estimated the development could create up to 3,500 full-time jobs, with starting salaries cited at about $45,000 a year, and that revenue could fund housing, health care, education and public safety programs.

Opponents focused on governance and oversight concerns as well as the social impacts of gambling. Critics argued that removing the referendum requirement would concentrate power in the office of the chair and reduce direct member control over major policy decisions. A local group, Lumbees United for Accountability, campaigned against the amendment. Elders at CrossWay Church of Pembroke issued a statement urging caution and warning that economic benefits should not override concerns about gambling’s effects on the community.

Some members questioned the timing of a major gaming push so soon after federal recognition. Former state representative Charles Graham, a tribal member, criticized the pace and said the community should have celebrated recognition before pursuing a casino, adding, “To be honest, the ink on the federal legislation had not dried.” Tribal Chairman John Lowery wrote on Facebook that he was disappointed and that a majority of members had chosen to keep the existing rules in place.

Lowery said he will not bring the amendment back during the remaining 18 months of his term. Tribal leaders retain options to pursue gaming in the future through the existing referendum process or by proposing another constitutional amendment.

Regional competition factored into the tribe’s push. Virginia has opened multiple commercial casinos in recent years, and lawmakers in South Carolina have debated proposals that would allow casino development along the I-95 corridor. Tribal leadership had warned that competing projects in neighboring states could move faster than the Lumbee could establish their own operation.

With the amendment defeated, the specific route to gaming contained in the proposal is paused, but the tribe can still pursue other legal or constitutional paths to develop a casino in the future.