Members of the Lumbee Tribe voted down an amendment that would "clear the way" for the future of a casino in Robeson County.
In a post on Facebook, Tribe Chairman John L Lowery said the tribe members have voted down the amendment Tuesday night.
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“A majority of the Lumbee people have spoken, and they have said no to progress and have decided to stay with the status quo or simply staying with the way things are,” his post read in part.
Just the day before, Lowery alluded to this vote deciding the future of the casino. Saying, “if the amendment passes, the Lumbee Tribe will pursue gaming. If it does not pass, we will not.”
The question facing voters isn’t necessarily that clear cut. There is an amendment to the Tribe’s constitution at play here that would make a handful of changes that would give the council more authority over gaming decisions.
Lowery said the decision ensures that the tribe “will not move forward with gaming.”
Tribe members were concerned with possibility of this amendment stripping power away from its voters.
"It’s just disappointing at how this vote was painted or portrayed to be a yes or no, up or down for gaming,” Robin Branch said. “It is not.”
Branch’s concerns aren’t around the possibility of a casino. She said she’s in support of gaming and the benefit it would bring Lumbee Tribe members. However, if approved, she said it would delete a portion of the constitution that "entails the fundamental rights for members to authorize gaming."
"Once that removes, that authorization falls to our elected officials, chairman and council," Branch continued.
Though, those supporting the changes say, they trust who they’ve elected to these positions who would make decisions.
“I see my vote as my district representative,” Wanda Burns-Ramsey said. “If you want to be involved, then vote for your elected official. We still have a vote. We vote for the chairman. We vote for our tribal representation. That doesn’t take away our vote. It solidifies our vote.”
Burns-Ramsey served on the tribal council in the past. Now, she’s a voting Lumbee member who feels if they don’t move now, they may get passed by.
“If you have a great opportunity and an idea, and somebody else finds out about it, sometimes you lose,” Burns-Ramsey said. “We don’t want to waste this opportunity.”
She’s referring to our neighbors to the south. South Carolina has long discussed a possible casino along the I-95 corridor. The most developed plans are in Sandee, about two hours south of Lumberton. However, a bill in the South Carolina legislature includes the possibility of other locations along I-95 including Marlboro and Dillon Counties, which sit right on the North Carolina state line.
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster has long opposed casinos in the state. However, he has reached his term limit and will leave office in January. Several of those in the running as the next leader of the state have shown to be more open to the idea than McMaster.
“I think it is a threat,” Burns-Ramsey said. “Why would we take that chance when we have huge support right now for federal recognition. The timing is perfect.”
The Lumbee were fully federally recognized in December of 2025. Shortly thereafter, they purchased a $6+ million plot of land along I-95. The 240-acre site already has renderings of what it could look like with a casino complex, including hotels, a convention center, golf course and more. It projects to add up to 3,500 jobs with salaries north of $45,000.
It also includes likely millions in tax revenue. Money that would be 100 percent to the benefit of the Lumbee Tribe for things like housing, education, healthcare and more.
House money they’d be happy to play with for generations to come.
“I feel like our generation and our kids will reap the benefits of this vote,” Aydan Bullard said. “It’ll just help our community and we’ve been waiting for this for so long. I feel like now we have the opportunity.”
Polls close at 7:30 p.m. and Tribe members believe final tallies for votes will be finished within a couple of hours.
