United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians Files Trust Land Applications to Bring Total Trust Land Footprint to 188 Acres

Five applications covering 112 acres will expand the UKB Tribal Complex

from 76 acres to 120 acres

The United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians (UKB) has submitted five applications to the United States Department of the Interior to take approximately 112 acres of land into trust for the benefit of the Tribe. When accepted, the applications will expand the UKB Tribal Complex from 76 acres to 120 acres and increase the total trust lands to 188 acres.

“On these pieces of land, our Tribal Members meet, work, and gather. It’s where the UKB delivers services to our Members and our community," said Chief Jeff Wacoche. "We are proud to exercise our treaty-based right to take lands into trust for the lasting benefit of the UKB and future generations of UKB Members."

The Five Parcels

Two of the five parcels are contiguous with the existing tribal complex in Tahlequah and directly expand its footprint. These five trust land applications are not for gaming purposes.

• A 40-acre parcel to the south of the current complex

• A 4.26-acre parcel situated on the current complex between the Elder nutrition building and wellness center

• Diamondhead Resort (63.26 acres) – A recently acquired recreational destination on the Illinois River now owned and operated by the UKB, offering camping, float trips, lodging, live music, and festivals – a cornerstone of the Tribe's economic development strategy and a demonstration of the UKB's commitment to building sustainable, community-serving enterprises

• Echota Behavioral Health Administrative Building (0.99 acres) – Home to the administrative operations of the Tribe's behavioral health services

• Goingsnake Community Building and Behavioral Health Clinic (4 acres) – A community hub providing direct behavioral health services and programming to UKB Members

The Legal Foundation Is Settled

These applications stand on firm legal ground that the UKB fought hard to establish. In 2004, the Tribe applied to take 76 acres in Tahlequah into trust – land the UKB had purchased in 2000 to develop community services, an elder center, cultural grounds, and a museum. The Department of the Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs accepted that application in 2011. The Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma challenged the decision in federal court, and a district court initially ruled incorrectly against the UKB. The UKB and United States Department of Justice appealed.

On September 5, 2019, the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit overturned the lower court's ruling – affirming the authority of the Secretary of the Interior to take land into trust for the UKB and holding that the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma had no power to veto that decision. The Tenth Circuit recognized the UKB as a federally recognized tribe entitled to the same rights as any other sovereign nation, including the right to have land taken into trust.

The Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma petitioned the United States Supreme Court for review. On June 22, 2020, the Supreme Court declined – allowing the Tenth Circuit's ruling to stand.

"The Keetoowah people have fought for every acre of this land – in courtrooms, in Congress, and across generations,” added Chief Wacoche. “The law is on our side. The courts have spoken. We anticipate an expeditious process to accept these lands into trust, as is our treaty-based right – affirmed by the Tenth Circuit and left intact by the Supreme Court."

About the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians

The United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians is a federally recognized sovereign nation headquartered in Tahlequah, Oklahoma on its shared Oklahoma Cherokee Reservation – one of three federally recognized Cherokee tribes. The Tribe serves more than 14,000 Members and provides a broad range of governmental services including health care, housing, education, elder services, behavioral health, and law enforcement.

###