Catawba Nation
files an appeal
By Loretta Cozart
Catawba Nation has confirmed filing an appeal after being notified of a notice of violation (NOV) last December. They were given 30 days to file an appeal.
Catawba Nation Marketing and Communications Manager Tylee Anderson issued the following statement confirming the appeal, “The Catawba Nation has filed an appeal of the notice of violation issued by the National Indian Gaming Commission as we work to resolve issues regarding lease agreements with Sky Boat Partners for our casino resort project. The issues don’t involve current casino operations.”
On December 7, Chairman of the National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC), E. Sequoyah Simermeyer, issued a Notice of Violation (NOV) against the Catawba Indian Nation, Kings Mountain Sky Boat Partners, LLC (Sky Boat), and Sky Boat’s owners, officials, managers, and consultant. The NOV resulted from a thorough investigation by the NIGC Washington, D.C. Region Office that identified multiple violations of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) and NIGC regulations.
As set forth in the NOV, the investigation found the Nation allowed Sky Boat to manage in part the expansion of Catawba Two Kings Casino without an approved management contract. Additionally, the Nation and Sky Boat failed to submit a management contract within 60 days of its execution, as required by NIGC regulations.
“Based on an exhaustive investigation and analysis of the circumstances, we issued a Notice of Violation to both enforce regulatory compliance and ensure the Nation is the primary beneficiary of its gaming revenue. We do not take this enforcement action lightly, but do so to preserve the integrity of the industry and protect the valuable tool Indian Gaming represents for many Tribes as codified in the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act,” Simermeyer said.
The Nation, Sky Boat, and Sky Boat’s owners, officials, managers, and consultant could face civil penalties not to exceed $57,527 per day for each violation and the Nation’s gaming operation could be subject to a temporary closure order.
The following were sent the Notice of Violation including Catawba Indian Nation, Kings Mountain Sky Boat Partners, LLC (Sky Boat), and Sky Boat’s owners, officials, managers, and consultant:
• William Harris, Chief & Agent for Service of Process , Catawba Indian Nation , 996 Avenue of the Nations, Rock Hill, NC 29730
• Kathy George, President, Catawba Nation Gaming Authority, 538 Kings Mountain Blvd., Kings Mountain, NC 28086
• Matt Stewart, ChairCatawba Nation Gaming Commission, P.O. Box 1058, 502 W. King St. Ste. 201, Kings Mountain, NC 28086
• Wallace B. Cheves, Jr., Manager, Joseph Giordano, Manager, Gene Harris, Manager, Kings Mountain Sky Boat Partners, LLC, 2626 Glenwood Ave. Ste. 550, Raleigh, NC 27608
• Corporation Service Company, Registered Agent for Kings Mountain Sky Boat Partners, LLC , 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808
• Gene Harris. Manager of Manager, CSV Investors, LLC , 700 W. Morse Blvd., Ste. 220 , Winter Park, FL 32789
• CS SUNBIZ, LLC Agent for service for CSV Investors, LLC; AHG Group Holdings, LLC; AHG Group LLC; & KML Investors, LLC, 700 W. Morse Blvd., Ste. 220 , Winter Park. FL 32789
• Alan H. Ginsburg Gene Harris. Manager of Manager, AHG Group Holdings, LLC , 700 W. Morse Blvd., Ste. 220, Winter Park, FL 32789
• Alan Ginsburg, Gene Harris, Manager of Manager, Aaron Gorovitz, AHG Group LLC, 700 W. Morse Blvd., Suite 220, Winter Park, FL 32789
• Wallace B. Cheves, Jr., Owner , Sky Boat Development, LLC, 1209 Orange St., Wilmington, DE 1980Ml20
• The Corporation Trust Company Registered Agent for Sky Boat Development, LLC, Corporation Trust Center , 1209 Orange St., Wilmington, DE 19801
• Gene Harris, Manager of Manager , KML Investors, LLC , 700 W. Morse Blvd., Ste. 220 , Winter Park, FL 32789.