Florida is no stranger to legalized gambling, having hosted different forms of betting since 1931.
Wagering in Florida all began with dog and horse racing, followed by jai alai, all in the 1930s. All three of these sports still operate today and allow betting onsite. In fact, all of the jai alai frontons also offer poker rooms and slots. Racinos, located within race tracks across the state, also offer these gambling amenities.
Miccosukee Casino Tito Nieves also the best sign up bonuses for Miccosukee Casino Tito Nieves casino. In the list above you Miccosukee Casino Tito Nieves can find welcome- and deposit bonuses from many of the most popular online casinos out there. Almost all gambling companies offer new customer a first casino deposit bonus. Ex-Miccosukee Casino Employees, Conspirators Plead Guilty to $5.3M Florida Embezzlement. Posted on: February 5, 2020, 03:26h. Last updated on: February 5, 2020, 10:18h. Federal authorities announced charges against eight people accused of stealing more than $5 million in cash from the casino owned by the Miccosukee Tribe. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, four former employees of the Miccosukee Resort & Gaming stole the money by tampering with electronic machines at the facility.
Tribal casinos came to Florida in the late '80s, offering table games and slot machines. There are currently 8 such casinos, along with a handful of casino cruise ships that linger offshore. Residents can also take advantage of independent card rooms, where poker is legal.
Online gaming has not yet come to Florida, although the possibility may be closer than we think. Residents can take advantage of social gaming, however, where they can play the slots or poker for fun instead of money.
- WSVN-TVSunbeam Television Corp 1401 79th Street Causeway Miami, FL 33141 Switchboard: (305) 751-6692 Newsroom: (305) 795-2777.
- Miccosukee Resort & Gaming Center Miami, Florida Rooms 302; Restros 6; Slots 2000; All; Restaurant; Mayra31147. 0 Exp; one year ago Great games, restaurants.
Additionally, Sen. Jeff Brandes has filed threeFlorida sports betting bills for the upcoming 2020 legislative session. With a big tribal presence in the state, passing any sports betting legislation may come with numerous hurdles.
Sweepstakes casinos in Florida
Social casino site options
In Florida, the options for social gaming are similar to other states. Zynga, Slotomania, BigFish, and the rest of the usual suspects are available to Florida residents and visitors.
Residents are typically too far away to take advantage of the MyVegas comps options. However, there are three exceptions: Resorts World Bimini, Royal Caribbean, and the Orlando offerings from Gray Line Tours.
Bimini is the closest Bahamian island to Florida. It's either a short boat or plane ride away from the eastern coast. Though RWB's casino is smallish, with only a few hundred slot machines and a smattering of table games, the property is well-furnished, and the comps offered through MyVegas include discounts on rooms, food, and other activities.
Another MyVegas option that Floridians can truly use is the site's partnership with Royal Caribbean cruises. Rewards offered through MyVegas include onboard credits and, most invitingly, actual cruise comps for interior staterooms on departures out of Fort Lauderdale. It's conceivable that free or nearly-free five-day vacations are convenient for most Floridians. (At least those willing to put in the time to get 750,000 loyalty points.)
The final option is to get comps for the Gray Line Tour options out of Orlando. The rewards offered are mostly companion tickets or discounts, but there are MyVegas options for trips to Miami, Clearwater Beach, St. Augustine, and the Kennedy Center. So, at the very least, if you were planning to go sightseeing in Florida anyway, you might be able to ease the burden on your wallet and do it in style.
Land-based slots environment
Florida has a long history with regard to gambling. Legal forms of wagering have existed in the state since 1931, when dog and horse racing were legalized.
Since that time, there has been an ebb-and-flow to the public's acceptance of gambling options and buildings. Ultimately, Florida has undoubtedly become a destination for more than just beaches and retirement facilities.
Florida first legalized slot machines and jai alai back in 1935. They quickly repealed the machines (but not the jai alai) two years later. Limited slots gaming was introduced in 1988 on tribal lands due to the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. But it wasn't until 2004, 67 years after their repeal, that voters revived slot gaming and approved slot machines' introduction to the racetracks and jai alai facilities.
Tribal Casinos
The path that led Florida to become such a gambling-friendly state hinges on one major fact. Florida has a preponderance of Native American tribal lands within its borders.
Florida's interwoven relationship with several tribes – particularly the Seminole tribe – has allowed for the expansion of gaming in Florida. And, unlike other reservation lands, many tribal properties are near or inside major metropolitan areas in the state.
The Seminoles have operated some form of gambling in Florida since 1981, when they began offering bingo at their Tampa-area reservation (one of six reservations in the state). Today, the tribe owns and operates seven different casinos. These include two Seminole Hard Rock locations in Tampa and Hollywood.
In 2009, Governor Charlie Crist signed a bill into law that relaxed rules on much of gambling, particularly with regard to poker. Those seven Seminole casinos, one Miccosukee-run facility, and several casino cruise boats offer slot gamblers more than 25,000 machines and over 750 table games upon which to play.
Additionally, players can find over 800 Florida poker tables in cardrooms and racinos throughout the state. Below is a listing of the properties.
Land-based slots options
Property | Location | Number of Slot Machines |
---|---|---|
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Tampa | Tampa | 4,000 |
Seminole Coconut Creek Casino | Coconut Creek | 2,000 |
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Hollywood | Hollywood | 2,000 |
Miccosukee Resort and Gaming Center | Miami | 1,700 |
Seminole Casino Immokalee | Immokalee | 1,300 |
Seminole Classic Casino | Hollywood | 850 |
Seminole Casino – Brighton | Okeechobee | 450 |
Seminole Casino Big Cypress | Clewiston | 25 |
Online gambling options
As of right now, Florida has no laws either for or against online gambling but has no regulated sites of its own to offer.
However, since the legislature has a budget shortfall and what seems to be a favorable opinion about gambling within the state, it would be no major surprise if Florida iGaming became a legal reality.
With so many land-based options and no major public backlash to be seen, Florida is definitely on the upswing with its gambling. So, those who prefer online games are likely to find options fairly soon.
Operator profile
Miccosukee Resort and Gaming Center
With the Seminole tribe dominating so much of Florida's gaming scene, it's important to remember the other group that has a stake. The Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida operates the Miccosukee Resort and Gaming Center. This is located on the corner of Krome Avenue and Tamiami Trail in the far western portion of Miami.
It's a 56,000-square-foot facility offering over 1,700 slot machines, poker, and bingo. They also have a 1,200-seat entertainment venue and three restaurant options.
The center is on 25 acres of Miccosukee reservation land. However, the Miccosukees (like their Seminole counterparts in Florida) have more than one discontiguous piece of reservation land throughout the state. In fact, the primary area is within the Everglades, where the tribe has resided for over 100 years. In fact, the Miccosukees are descended from a group of Creeks who eluded capture in the wetlands area.
Today, more than 600 tribal members live in the area. They are direct descendants of that group of Creeks, who spoke Mikasuki – hence the new tribal name. The tribe is federally recognized by the United States government and maintains roughly 75,000 acres of reservation land in total (plus a perpetual lease for another 189,000 acres).
State legal environment
Permitted/Offered? | Notes & Restrictions | |
---|---|---|
Land-based Gambling | Yes | Restricted to tribal lands and cruises |
Online Gambling | No | Expected to be offered soon – favorable legislative environment |
Lottery | Yes | State lottery, Mega Millions and Powerball offered |
Charitable or House-based Gambling | Yes | Bingo only |
Minimum Gambling Age | 21 for casino gambling, both online and live; 18 for horseracing |
Total population |
---|
400 enrolled members (as of 1990s)[1] |
Regions with significant populations |
United States Florida |
Languages |
Mikasuki, English |
Religion |
Traditional tribal religion, Christianity |
Related ethnic groups |
Seminole (Seminole Nation of Oklahoma and Seminole Tribe of Florida), Creek |
The Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida is a federally recognizedNative American tribe in the U.S. state of Florida. They were part of the Seminole nation until the mid-20th century, when they organized as an independent tribe, receiving federal recognition in 1962. The Miccosukee speak the Mikasuki language, which is mutually intelligible with the Hitchiti language, is considered its dialect, and is also spoken by many Florida Seminole.[2]
Historically, the Miccosukee trace their origins to the Lower Chiaha, one of the tribes of the Creek Confederacy in present-day Georgia. Under pressure from European encroachment in their territory, they migrated to northern Florida in the early 18th century, where they became part of the developing Seminole nation.[3] By the late 18th century, the British recorded the name Miccosukee or Mikasuki as designating a Hitchiti-speaking group centered on the village of Miccosukee in the Florida Panhandle.[4]
Like other Seminole groups, they were displaced during the Seminole Wars (1817–1858), and many migrated or were forced to relocate west of the Mississippi River to Indian Territory in 1842, after the Seminole Wars.[5] The Miccosukee chief Ar-pi-uck-i, also known as Sam Jones, proved an effective leader during the Second Seminole War.[6]
Descendants of those who remained in Florida were concentrated in the central part of the state. In the 1920s and 1930s, many Seminole established communities along the Tamiami Trail, a roadway completed in 1928 that ran through the Everglades and connected the cities of Tampa and Miami. The Trail Indians, as they were called, generally kept more traditional practices. They were less interested in establishing formal relations with the federal government than those Cow Creek Seminole to the north who started moving to reservations around the same time.[7]
In 1953, the Seminole were identified for termination of federal status; the Seminole Tribe of Florida organized as a tribe and were recognized in 1957. That process had pointed out cultural differences between the groups, and the Miccosukee gained state recognition separately that year, and federal recognition in 1962. The Traditionals or Independents did not affiliate with either tribe.[8]
History
The Miccosukee historically inhabited the upper Tennessee Valley in present-day Georgia, where they were originally part of the Upper Chiaha. Later they split: the Miccosukee (Lower Chiaha) migrated northeast to the Carolinas and the Upper Chiaha, also known as Muscogee, migrated west to northern Alabama. Under continuing encroachment pressure from European-American settlers, many migrated to northern Florida during the 18th and 19th centuries.
The Lower Chiaha comprised the major part of the Seminole tribe, which formed in the eighteenth century in Florida through a process of ethnogenesis. They numbered about 6,000 by the early 19th century. About 2,000 Upper Creek (Red Sticks), who were Creek speakers, joined them after defeat in the Creek War of 1813-1814. Although East and West Florida were under Spanish control, United States forces invaded in 1818 in the First Seminole War, in retaliation for Indian raids against settlers in Georgia.
Miccosukee Resort
In 1821 the United States (US) acquired Florida from Spain, and it increased pressure for removal against the Seminole/Creek from Florida. It relocated several thousand Seminole and hundreds of Black Seminoles, who lived in close association as allies, to the Indian Territory. They were originally given land under Creek administration and later given a separate reservation.
Those who remained in Florida fought against US forces during the second and third Seminole Wars. They had moved into central Florida and the Everglades to try to evade European-American settlement pressure. During this period, the Miccosukee mixed with the Creek-speaking Seminole, but many maintained their Mikasuki language and identity.
Twentieth century to present
The tribe had long maintained its distinction from the Seminole, whom they believed were more willing to adapt to the majority culture. The federal and state governments persisted in treating them as a unified people, and there was a third group, known as Traditionals or Independents. An issue that divided them was the majority Seminole filing in 1950 with the Indian Claims Commission for claim for compensation for lands taken by the US government. The Miccosukee and Traditionals contended they had never reached an official peace with the US in Florida, and they wanted a return of their land rather than financial compensation. (The United States settlement of the claims with the Seminole and Miccosukee in Florida, and the Seminole in Oklahoma, was finally made in 1976. Division of shares within the tribes took until 1990 to settle.)
Under the federal government's program of termination of recognition, it proposed in 1953 that the Seminole Tribe be terminated. The Seminole Tribe of Florida developed a constitution and corporate charter, organizing a government, which achieved federal recognition in 1957. These people had begun to move onto designated Indian reservations in Florida starting in the 1930s and 1940s.
The land claims and termination controversies heightened the distinction for the Trail People, who became more defined and began to organize as the Miccosukee Seminole Tribe; they were mostly Mikasuki language speakers.[9] They were recognized by the state of Florida in 1957, and gained federal recognition in 1962 as the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida.[9]
The tribe today occupies several reservations in southern Florida, collectively known as the Miccosukee Indian Reservation.[9] The largest land section is a 333-acre (1.35 km2) reservation on the northern border of Everglades National Park, about 45 miles (72 km) west of Miami.[10] The tribe controls about 200,000-acre (810 km2) of wetlands, most under a perpetual lease made in 1983 with the state of the South Florida Water Management District's Water Conservation Area 3A South.[11] It may use 'this land for the purpose of hunting, fishing, frogging, and subsistence agriculture to carry on the traditional Miccosukee way of life.'[12] Another site is its Alligator Alley Reservation, located near Ft. Lauderdale. It includes 20,000-acre (81 km2) of developable land, much of which they use for a cattle grazing lease, and nearly 55,000-acre (220 km2) of wetlands. They provide use permits for non-Natives to use some of the wetlands for hunting camps.[12]
Among their lands is a site in Miami, where the tribe in 1999 developed the Miccosukee Resort & Conference Hotel, which includes gaming facilities. The revenue from this enterprise has supported economic development and improvements to education and welfare. They have generally modern housing on their reservation 40 miles west of Miami, and some of the tribe live in suburban Miami.[13]
Membership
Miccosukee Tribal Gaming Agency
The Miccosukee requires members to have at least half-Miccosukee ancestry, and will accept individuals with Miccosukee mothers who are not enrolled in any other Tribe. The tribe has a matrilineal system of kinship and inheritance. Children are considered to be born into their mother's clan, from which they gain their status in the tribe. In this system, the mother's older brother is highly important to her children, more than the biological father, especially for boys. The uncle is the one who introduces the boys to the men's groups of the clan and tribe.[14]
Government
The tribe has a written constitution and elects officers, including a chief. In 2015, Chief Colley Billie was removed from office for financial mismanagement.[15][16] As of 2020, the current chief is Billy Cypress.[17] All adult members are part of the General Council, which manages the tribal services.[16] The first chief at the time of federal recognition was Buffalo Tiger, who continued to lead as tribal chairman until 1985.[18]
The tribe operates its own police and court system.[13] It also has a clinic, day care center; senior center; Community Action Agency and an educational system, ranging from the Head Start Pre-School Program through senior high school. Adult, vocational and higher education programs are also available.[19]
Business interests
The tribe operates the 302-room Miccosukee Resort & Gaming hotel in Miami-Dade county.[20]
Sports sponsorship has extended to several teams in NASCAR, primarily Phoenix Racing and Billy Ballew Motorsports. These include the 2009 Aaron's 499 winning Sprint Cup Series car driven by Brad Keselowski, a Camping World truck driven by Kyle Busch, and a Nationwide car driven by Mike Bliss. The Miccosukee relationship with NASCAR dates to 2002,[21] ending prior to the start of the 2010 season.[22][23]
Museum
The Miccosukee Indian Village Museum was founded in 1983. The museum offers to its visitors a variety of artistic expressions such as native paintings, hand crafts, and photographs. Additionally, it is possible to find some artifacts such as cooking utensils that are also on display. The Museum is located in 41 Tamiami Trail, Miami, FL, 33131.
Iron Arrow Honor Society
Social casino site options
In Florida, the options for social gaming are similar to other states. Zynga, Slotomania, BigFish, and the rest of the usual suspects are available to Florida residents and visitors.
Residents are typically too far away to take advantage of the MyVegas comps options. However, there are three exceptions: Resorts World Bimini, Royal Caribbean, and the Orlando offerings from Gray Line Tours.
Bimini is the closest Bahamian island to Florida. It's either a short boat or plane ride away from the eastern coast. Though RWB's casino is smallish, with only a few hundred slot machines and a smattering of table games, the property is well-furnished, and the comps offered through MyVegas include discounts on rooms, food, and other activities.
Another MyVegas option that Floridians can truly use is the site's partnership with Royal Caribbean cruises. Rewards offered through MyVegas include onboard credits and, most invitingly, actual cruise comps for interior staterooms on departures out of Fort Lauderdale. It's conceivable that free or nearly-free five-day vacations are convenient for most Floridians. (At least those willing to put in the time to get 750,000 loyalty points.)
The final option is to get comps for the Gray Line Tour options out of Orlando. The rewards offered are mostly companion tickets or discounts, but there are MyVegas options for trips to Miami, Clearwater Beach, St. Augustine, and the Kennedy Center. So, at the very least, if you were planning to go sightseeing in Florida anyway, you might be able to ease the burden on your wallet and do it in style.
Land-based slots environment
Florida has a long history with regard to gambling. Legal forms of wagering have existed in the state since 1931, when dog and horse racing were legalized.
Since that time, there has been an ebb-and-flow to the public's acceptance of gambling options and buildings. Ultimately, Florida has undoubtedly become a destination for more than just beaches and retirement facilities.
Florida first legalized slot machines and jai alai back in 1935. They quickly repealed the machines (but not the jai alai) two years later. Limited slots gaming was introduced in 1988 on tribal lands due to the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. But it wasn't until 2004, 67 years after their repeal, that voters revived slot gaming and approved slot machines' introduction to the racetracks and jai alai facilities.
Tribal Casinos
The path that led Florida to become such a gambling-friendly state hinges on one major fact. Florida has a preponderance of Native American tribal lands within its borders.
Florida's interwoven relationship with several tribes – particularly the Seminole tribe – has allowed for the expansion of gaming in Florida. And, unlike other reservation lands, many tribal properties are near or inside major metropolitan areas in the state.
The Seminoles have operated some form of gambling in Florida since 1981, when they began offering bingo at their Tampa-area reservation (one of six reservations in the state). Today, the tribe owns and operates seven different casinos. These include two Seminole Hard Rock locations in Tampa and Hollywood.
In 2009, Governor Charlie Crist signed a bill into law that relaxed rules on much of gambling, particularly with regard to poker. Those seven Seminole casinos, one Miccosukee-run facility, and several casino cruise boats offer slot gamblers more than 25,000 machines and over 750 table games upon which to play.
Additionally, players can find over 800 Florida poker tables in cardrooms and racinos throughout the state. Below is a listing of the properties.
Land-based slots options
Property | Location | Number of Slot Machines |
---|---|---|
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Tampa | Tampa | 4,000 |
Seminole Coconut Creek Casino | Coconut Creek | 2,000 |
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Hollywood | Hollywood | 2,000 |
Miccosukee Resort and Gaming Center | Miami | 1,700 |
Seminole Casino Immokalee | Immokalee | 1,300 |
Seminole Classic Casino | Hollywood | 850 |
Seminole Casino – Brighton | Okeechobee | 450 |
Seminole Casino Big Cypress | Clewiston | 25 |
Online gambling options
As of right now, Florida has no laws either for or against online gambling but has no regulated sites of its own to offer.
However, since the legislature has a budget shortfall and what seems to be a favorable opinion about gambling within the state, it would be no major surprise if Florida iGaming became a legal reality.
With so many land-based options and no major public backlash to be seen, Florida is definitely on the upswing with its gambling. So, those who prefer online games are likely to find options fairly soon.
Operator profile
Miccosukee Resort and Gaming Center
With the Seminole tribe dominating so much of Florida's gaming scene, it's important to remember the other group that has a stake. The Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida operates the Miccosukee Resort and Gaming Center. This is located on the corner of Krome Avenue and Tamiami Trail in the far western portion of Miami.
It's a 56,000-square-foot facility offering over 1,700 slot machines, poker, and bingo. They also have a 1,200-seat entertainment venue and three restaurant options.
The center is on 25 acres of Miccosukee reservation land. However, the Miccosukees (like their Seminole counterparts in Florida) have more than one discontiguous piece of reservation land throughout the state. In fact, the primary area is within the Everglades, where the tribe has resided for over 100 years. In fact, the Miccosukees are descended from a group of Creeks who eluded capture in the wetlands area.
Today, more than 600 tribal members live in the area. They are direct descendants of that group of Creeks, who spoke Mikasuki – hence the new tribal name. The tribe is federally recognized by the United States government and maintains roughly 75,000 acres of reservation land in total (plus a perpetual lease for another 189,000 acres).
State legal environment
Permitted/Offered? | Notes & Restrictions | |
---|---|---|
Land-based Gambling | Yes | Restricted to tribal lands and cruises |
Online Gambling | No | Expected to be offered soon – favorable legislative environment |
Lottery | Yes | State lottery, Mega Millions and Powerball offered |
Charitable or House-based Gambling | Yes | Bingo only |
Minimum Gambling Age | 21 for casino gambling, both online and live; 18 for horseracing |
Total population |
---|
400 enrolled members (as of 1990s)[1] |
Regions with significant populations |
United States Florida |
Languages |
Mikasuki, English |
Religion |
Traditional tribal religion, Christianity |
Related ethnic groups |
Seminole (Seminole Nation of Oklahoma and Seminole Tribe of Florida), Creek |
The Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida is a federally recognizedNative American tribe in the U.S. state of Florida. They were part of the Seminole nation until the mid-20th century, when they organized as an independent tribe, receiving federal recognition in 1962. The Miccosukee speak the Mikasuki language, which is mutually intelligible with the Hitchiti language, is considered its dialect, and is also spoken by many Florida Seminole.[2]
Historically, the Miccosukee trace their origins to the Lower Chiaha, one of the tribes of the Creek Confederacy in present-day Georgia. Under pressure from European encroachment in their territory, they migrated to northern Florida in the early 18th century, where they became part of the developing Seminole nation.[3] By the late 18th century, the British recorded the name Miccosukee or Mikasuki as designating a Hitchiti-speaking group centered on the village of Miccosukee in the Florida Panhandle.[4]
Like other Seminole groups, they were displaced during the Seminole Wars (1817–1858), and many migrated or were forced to relocate west of the Mississippi River to Indian Territory in 1842, after the Seminole Wars.[5] The Miccosukee chief Ar-pi-uck-i, also known as Sam Jones, proved an effective leader during the Second Seminole War.[6]
Descendants of those who remained in Florida were concentrated in the central part of the state. In the 1920s and 1930s, many Seminole established communities along the Tamiami Trail, a roadway completed in 1928 that ran through the Everglades and connected the cities of Tampa and Miami. The Trail Indians, as they were called, generally kept more traditional practices. They were less interested in establishing formal relations with the federal government than those Cow Creek Seminole to the north who started moving to reservations around the same time.[7]
In 1953, the Seminole were identified for termination of federal status; the Seminole Tribe of Florida organized as a tribe and were recognized in 1957. That process had pointed out cultural differences between the groups, and the Miccosukee gained state recognition separately that year, and federal recognition in 1962. The Traditionals or Independents did not affiliate with either tribe.[8]
History
The Miccosukee historically inhabited the upper Tennessee Valley in present-day Georgia, where they were originally part of the Upper Chiaha. Later they split: the Miccosukee (Lower Chiaha) migrated northeast to the Carolinas and the Upper Chiaha, also known as Muscogee, migrated west to northern Alabama. Under continuing encroachment pressure from European-American settlers, many migrated to northern Florida during the 18th and 19th centuries.
The Lower Chiaha comprised the major part of the Seminole tribe, which formed in the eighteenth century in Florida through a process of ethnogenesis. They numbered about 6,000 by the early 19th century. About 2,000 Upper Creek (Red Sticks), who were Creek speakers, joined them after defeat in the Creek War of 1813-1814. Although East and West Florida were under Spanish control, United States forces invaded in 1818 in the First Seminole War, in retaliation for Indian raids against settlers in Georgia.
Miccosukee Resort
In 1821 the United States (US) acquired Florida from Spain, and it increased pressure for removal against the Seminole/Creek from Florida. It relocated several thousand Seminole and hundreds of Black Seminoles, who lived in close association as allies, to the Indian Territory. They were originally given land under Creek administration and later given a separate reservation.
Those who remained in Florida fought against US forces during the second and third Seminole Wars. They had moved into central Florida and the Everglades to try to evade European-American settlement pressure. During this period, the Miccosukee mixed with the Creek-speaking Seminole, but many maintained their Mikasuki language and identity.
Twentieth century to present
The tribe had long maintained its distinction from the Seminole, whom they believed were more willing to adapt to the majority culture. The federal and state governments persisted in treating them as a unified people, and there was a third group, known as Traditionals or Independents. An issue that divided them was the majority Seminole filing in 1950 with the Indian Claims Commission for claim for compensation for lands taken by the US government. The Miccosukee and Traditionals contended they had never reached an official peace with the US in Florida, and they wanted a return of their land rather than financial compensation. (The United States settlement of the claims with the Seminole and Miccosukee in Florida, and the Seminole in Oklahoma, was finally made in 1976. Division of shares within the tribes took until 1990 to settle.)
Under the federal government's program of termination of recognition, it proposed in 1953 that the Seminole Tribe be terminated. The Seminole Tribe of Florida developed a constitution and corporate charter, organizing a government, which achieved federal recognition in 1957. These people had begun to move onto designated Indian reservations in Florida starting in the 1930s and 1940s.
The land claims and termination controversies heightened the distinction for the Trail People, who became more defined and began to organize as the Miccosukee Seminole Tribe; they were mostly Mikasuki language speakers.[9] They were recognized by the state of Florida in 1957, and gained federal recognition in 1962 as the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida.[9]
The tribe today occupies several reservations in southern Florida, collectively known as the Miccosukee Indian Reservation.[9] The largest land section is a 333-acre (1.35 km2) reservation on the northern border of Everglades National Park, about 45 miles (72 km) west of Miami.[10] The tribe controls about 200,000-acre (810 km2) of wetlands, most under a perpetual lease made in 1983 with the state of the South Florida Water Management District's Water Conservation Area 3A South.[11] It may use 'this land for the purpose of hunting, fishing, frogging, and subsistence agriculture to carry on the traditional Miccosukee way of life.'[12] Another site is its Alligator Alley Reservation, located near Ft. Lauderdale. It includes 20,000-acre (81 km2) of developable land, much of which they use for a cattle grazing lease, and nearly 55,000-acre (220 km2) of wetlands. They provide use permits for non-Natives to use some of the wetlands for hunting camps.[12]
Among their lands is a site in Miami, where the tribe in 1999 developed the Miccosukee Resort & Conference Hotel, which includes gaming facilities. The revenue from this enterprise has supported economic development and improvements to education and welfare. They have generally modern housing on their reservation 40 miles west of Miami, and some of the tribe live in suburban Miami.[13]
Membership
Miccosukee Tribal Gaming Agency
The Miccosukee requires members to have at least half-Miccosukee ancestry, and will accept individuals with Miccosukee mothers who are not enrolled in any other Tribe. The tribe has a matrilineal system of kinship and inheritance. Children are considered to be born into their mother's clan, from which they gain their status in the tribe. In this system, the mother's older brother is highly important to her children, more than the biological father, especially for boys. The uncle is the one who introduces the boys to the men's groups of the clan and tribe.[14]
Government
The tribe has a written constitution and elects officers, including a chief. In 2015, Chief Colley Billie was removed from office for financial mismanagement.[15][16] As of 2020, the current chief is Billy Cypress.[17] All adult members are part of the General Council, which manages the tribal services.[16] The first chief at the time of federal recognition was Buffalo Tiger, who continued to lead as tribal chairman until 1985.[18]
The tribe operates its own police and court system.[13] It also has a clinic, day care center; senior center; Community Action Agency and an educational system, ranging from the Head Start Pre-School Program through senior high school. Adult, vocational and higher education programs are also available.[19]
Business interests
The tribe operates the 302-room Miccosukee Resort & Gaming hotel in Miami-Dade county.[20]
Sports sponsorship has extended to several teams in NASCAR, primarily Phoenix Racing and Billy Ballew Motorsports. These include the 2009 Aaron's 499 winning Sprint Cup Series car driven by Brad Keselowski, a Camping World truck driven by Kyle Busch, and a Nationwide car driven by Mike Bliss. The Miccosukee relationship with NASCAR dates to 2002,[21] ending prior to the start of the 2010 season.[22][23]
Museum
The Miccosukee Indian Village Museum was founded in 1983. The museum offers to its visitors a variety of artistic expressions such as native paintings, hand crafts, and photographs. Additionally, it is possible to find some artifacts such as cooking utensils that are also on display. The Museum is located in 41 Tamiami Trail, Miami, FL, 33131.
Iron Arrow Honor Society
The Iron Arrow Honor Society, the highest obtainable honor at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida, is an officially sanctioned clan of the Miccosukee tribe.[24]
Notable Miccosukee
- Kinhagee, the last chief of the Creek of Miccosukee, Florida, who was defeated in battle in 1818 by US forces commanded by General Andrew Jackson. Later Kinhagee's people migrated south, maintaining their local village name Miccosukee as the name of the tribe.
- Buffalo Tiger (Heenehatche), (born 1920), first chief of the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida, led initiatives for self-determination[18]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Miccosukee. |
Notes
- ^Pritzker
- ^Hardy, Heather & Janine Scancarelli. (2005). Native Languages of the Southeastern United States, Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press, pp. 69-70
- ^Pritzker, p. 390.
- ^Mahon, p. 189.
- ^Mahon, pp. 190–191.
- ^Mahon, p. 199.
- ^Alexander Spoehr, Camp, Clan, and Kin among the Cow Creek Seminole of Florida, Field Museum, Anthropological Series, Vol. 33, No. 1, 2 August 1941
- ^Mahon, pp. 202–204.
- ^ abcMahon (1996), pp. 202–204
- ^'Concerning the Miccosukee Tribe's Ongoing Negotiations with the National Park Service Regarding the Special Use Permit Area'. Resources Committee, US House of Representatives. September 25, 1997. Retrieved 2011-03-02.
- ^ItemID=WE43&iPin=ENAIT516&SingleRecord=True Ewen, Alexander and Jeffrey Wollock. 'Tiger, William Buffalo', Encyclopedia of the American Indian in the Twentieth Century, New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2014. American Indian History Online. Facts On File, Inc. (accessed August 14, 2014)
- ^ ab'Tribe: Reservation areas'Archived 2013-06-16 at the Wayback Machine, Miccosukee Tribe website
- ^ abPritzker, Barry (2000). A Native American Encyclopedia: History, Culture, and Peoples. Oxford University Press. ISBN0-19-513877-5. Retrieved September 10, 2010.
- ^Miccosukee Tribe, Official Website, accessed 29 Apr 2010
- ^'Miccosukee Tribe removes Chairman Colley Billie from office'. Indianz. Retrieved 2020-11-02.
- ^ ab'Leaders'Archived 2013-06-16 at the Wayback Machine, Miccosukee Tribe website
- ^'Tribal Leaders Directory | Indian Affairs'. www.bia.gov. Retrieved 2020-11-02.
- ^ abHarry A. Kersey Jr., 'Buffalo Tiger, Bobo Dean, and the 'Young Turks': A Miccosukee Prelude to the 1975 Indian Self-Determination Act', American Indian Culture and Research Journal, Volume 29, Number 1 / 2005, ISSN 0161-6463 (Print)
- ^'Tribal Programs and Business'Archived 2013-06-16 at the Wayback Machine, Miccosukee Tribe website
- ^Miccosukee Resort & Gaming Hotel, official website
- ^Dave Rodman, 'Bodine gets boosts in sponsorship, schedule', Turner Sports Interactive, NASCAR, 6 Mar 2002, accessed 29 Apr 2010
- ^Fan, Horn (April 14, 2010). 'Aric Almirola's Sole Focus Is Now Camping World Truck Series'. Bleacher Report. Bleacher Report. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
- ^Broomberg, Nick. 'Kyle Busch says that he needs a sponsor to run his truck team in 2011'. Yahoo!. Yahoo!. Retrieved 10 December 2014.
- ^'Native American students call for changes within Iron Arrow,'The Miami Hurricane, July 27, 2020, retrieved July 27, 2020
References
- Mahon, John K.; Brent R. Weisman (1996). 'Florida's Seminole and Miccosukee Peoples'. In Gannon, Michael (Ed.). The New History of Florida, pp. 183–206. University Press of Florida. ISBN0-8130-1415-8.
- Pritzker, Barry (2000). A Native American Encyclopedia: History, Culture, and Peoples. Oxford University Press. ISBN0-19-513877-5. Retrieved September 10, 2010.
- Tiger, Buffalo and Harry A. Kersey, Buffalo Tiger: A Life in the Everglades, University of Nevada Press, 2008
Further reading
- Ewen, Alexander and Jeffrey Wollock. 'Tiger, William Buffalo.' Encyclopedia of the American Indian in the Twentieth Century, New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2014. American Indian History Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp? ItemID=WE43&iPin=ENAIT516&SingleRecord=True (accessed August 14, 2014).
- James A. Goss, Usual and Customary Use and Occupancy by the Miccosukee and Seminole Indians in Big Cypress National Preserve, Florida National Park Service, 1995, (pdf)
- Kersey, Harry A. An Assumption of Sovereignty: Social and Political Transformation Among the Florida Seminoles, 1953-1979, University of Nebraska Press, 1996
External links
Miccosukee Casino Address
- Miccosukee Tribe, Official Website
- Miccosukee Resort & Gaming Hotel, website
- Miccosukee Land Co-op, a co-housing community