The Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas has confirmed plans to establish a new casino resort in Leggett, Polk County, following federal approval that allows the project to move forward on tribal-owned land outside the reservation.

Federal Green Light for Leggett Location

Chairwoman Cecilia Flores announced the development to the Polk County Commissioners Court, joined by members of the Tribal Council. She explained that the National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) had approved the tribe’s request to operate gaming on their property in Leggett, rather than exclusively within the reservation boundaries.

“We have received confirmation from the National Indian Gaming Commission,” Flores stated, as reported by Polk County Enterprise. “We had made a petition to them about gaming on tribal properties outside the reservation in eastern Polk County. The Leggett land is eligible for gaming, so we plan to develop our Naskila Casino Resort there.”

Flores also highlighted the economic significance of the project, adding, “I just wanted to give Polk County heads up and inform you of our recent development. We’re very excited about it. It means a whole lot of new jobs, a lot of new opportunities for taxes, income, roads, the whole thing … so we look forward to it.”

The decision marks a shift from initial assumptions that the casino would be built on the tribe’s reservation near Livingston. Instead, the resort will take shape in Leggett, a small community not far from the current Naskila Casino. The move is especially notable as it represents one of the few instances of a tribal gaming property being constructed outside a reservation in Texas.

The NIGC’s role is critical, as it oversees tribal gambling nationwide under the Department of the Interior. Its approval gives the tribe a unique path to expand gaming opportunities in a state where gambling is tightly restricted.

Building on Existing Success

The Alabama-Coushatta Tribe already operates Naskila Casino, which opened in 2016 with 365 Class II gaming devices and has since expanded to more than 900 machines, two cafes, a gift shop, and the Ischoopa Travel Center. The property has been described as “the luckiest spot in Texas,” with jackpots driving local economic activity as winners often spend their money in surrounding East Texas communities.

The tribe has invested over $212 million in East Texas since opening the casino and now employs a workforce with an annual payroll of $22.5 million, making it one of the region’s top employers.

In April 2024, the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe announced broader ambitions for a full-scale resort, and those plans are now tied to the Leggett site. The project will include a modern casino floor, hotel accommodations, diverse dining, entertainment offerings, and family-friendly attractions. Once complete, the resort is projected to create 1,000 new jobs.

The tribe has partnered with architecture firm FFKR to design the facility and expects to break ground later in 2025.

While Texas is known for some of the strictest gambling laws in the country, Native American tribes have carved out limited gaming rights. Currently, three federally recognized tribes operate casinos in Texas: the Kickapoo in Eagle Pass, the Tigua in El Paso, and the Alabama-Coushatta in Livingston.

Of these, only the Kickapoo Tribe runs a fully legal casino, the Lucky Eagle, due to federal recognition granted in 1983. The Alabama-Coushatta and Tigua tribes have faced years of legal challenges from the state. However, in 2022 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that both tribes may operate games not prohibited under Texas law. This has enabled them to run electronic bingo-style machines, classified as Class II devices, rather than traditional slot machines.