Asserting its sovereignty, the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) has taken preliminary steps to build its own public safety facility on tribal land.
The Wampanoag Tribe is asking the U.S. Court of Appeals to reverse a ruling by a U.S. District Court judge who said the tribe must obtain local and state building permits before it can build a class II gaming facility.
In the latest volley between the town and tribe over the future bingo hall in Aquinnah, tribal leaders agreed this week to halt work on the site until legal issues can be resolved.
In a stunning turn, a federal district judge in Boston issued a ruling that holds the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) must obtain building permits before constructing a bingo hall on tribal lands.
In a motion filed in U.S. District Court on April 4, attorneys for the town asked the court to clarify the scope of the court rulings that gave the tribe the right to build a gambling facility.