Learn more about the upcoming amendment vote
In December of 2025, the United States restored full federal recognition of The Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina. Federal recognition gives the tribe the right to operate gaming on tribal lands and use the money earned from gaming for the benefit of tribal members in compliance with rules established by the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988.
The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act requires the tribe to adopt strong checks and balances.
Questions or Comments
Facts About the Amendment
• Tribal government operations or programs including elderly care, education, housing, healthcare, rehabilitation services, and public safety programs
• To provide for the general welfare of the Indian tribe and its members
• Tribal economic development
• To donate to charitable organizations
• To help fund operations of local government agencies
Frequently Asked Questions
See the Proposed Resort and Development
Details on the proposed resort and development are below, courtesy of SOSHNY Design, the project’s architectural firm.
The Lumbee Dark Water Resort is a long-time vision of a prominent native tribe on the east coast. The vision is to create an oasis of family entertainment and interaction with a cultural and heritage learning center, a strong element of business and leisure, as well as gaming venues.
After many weeks of research and development, the Lumbee Tribe, with the Master Planners, SOSHNY Design, have developed a one-of-a kind master plan on over 200 acres, with easy access from the highway to create Lumbee Dark Water Resort. This plan ensures community bound development of the family entertainment as well as sensitivity to nature and green acres. In the tradition of Lumbee culture, and the respect for light, air, and earthly appreciation, significant thought has been given to the selection of elements in order to ensure this regional destination, for family entertainment, and business leisure, to be one of a kind on the east coast of the United States. In the process of masterplan design, The Lumbee Tribe, with their Masterplan Designers, SOSHNY, have strategically located all amenities on the site plan so the sequence of development and construction can be achieved with respect to nature, community, as well as patrons’ access and visit to the site. Passive energy, solar farms, and integration of energy resources along with indigenous landscaping and preservation of vegetation have been taken into consideration. In such, the impact on the environment will be minimized, and this new development will respect the carbon footprint of the structures to come.
The following is a list of amenities which have been strategically considered on the Masterplan, with visual renderings to support the aim and high vision of the Lumbee Tribe.
- 240, three and four-bedroom guestrooms with a view of the waterpark and convenient parking.
- Waterpark Feature
- Miniature Golf
- Indoor Swimming Pool
- Walk Paths, Jog Paths, and areas for outdoor experiences including quadracycles
- Daycare Facility
- Nurse Station
Museum and Heritage Center
With an outdoor amphitheater along a built-up lake for tranquil views and spiritual relaxation for young and old to not only enjoy the cultural interaction, but to also enjoy the scenery and culture garden.
- Art Gallery
- Classrooms and hands on experiences
- Interactive Audio and Video Hall
- Lecture Hall
- Native Shop
Retail
Consists of 6 separate buildings that are interconnected with the following:
- Soft Retail Items
- Classical Native Items
- Vacation Necessities
- Coffee Shop
- Suites and Pastry Shops
- Farm to Table Restaurants
- Shipping & Receiving to accommodate guests
Will include the following:
- Gaming Devices
- Food and Beverage
- Bars
- Office Spaces
Will include the following:
- Expanded Gaming Areas to include table games
- Salon Prive
- Bar and Lounge
- Entertainment Center
- Steakhouse, Asian, Italian, and Brazilian Cuisines
- Dance Hall
- Wedding Chapel
- Gift Shops
- Winners Retail
- Access to the Leisure Hotel
- Concierge Service
- Jewelry Shop
- VIP/ Concierge Services
- Swimming Pool
- Spa and Wellness Center
- Beauty Salon
- Valet Service at any location on site
- Coffee & Pastry Shop with 24 Hour Service
- Rooftop Restaurant & Bar
- Board Rooms
- Business Center
- Site Amenities access
- Tennis Courts
- Greenway, including site circulation, biking, walking, running
- Fitness Center
10,000-15,000 Seat Entertainment and Convention Facility with connections to the Leisure Hotel and the Casino to facilitate shows, concerts, large native events, sporting events, and exhibitions.
This will host business meetings, training, and long-distance learning.
The building will be multi-level, and multi-facilitated to accommodate simultaneous use of different areas. This will be associated with the Leisure Hotel and the Golf Course to provide business and leisure simultaneously.
Approximately 48 individually crafted low rise condos with a panoramic view of the golf course and access to all other amenities, retail and leisure.
This will provide the guests with hotel experience, aside from the high rise 5-star hotel, but with a residential scale, and will encourage long-term stays. All amenities with the condo hotels will be equal with the main hotel in terms of food and beverage, maiden services, concierge services as well as audio visual.
18-hole golf course that is lined with trees, featuring manicured landscapes with strategically placed bunkers and water features.
The tree-lined course enables the fairway to be easily navigated through the hill-like terrain.