In 1988, the U.S. government granted Native Americans the right to open casinos on their reserves and use any resulting income to help them escape poverty. It was a ruling that enabled the Seminoles to become the richest tribe in the United States. Just how much money they were making was revealed in 2006, when they bought the entire Hard Rock Cafe chain for $965 million. But for many, the money has been a curse rather than a blessing. And – while a few tribes have made substantial profits from their casinos – the majority remain mired in poverty. We investigate.
Exploring the roots of American inequity, greed and pollution, Conscience Point contrasts the values of those who regard beautiful places as raw material to be developed for profit and pleasure, and those locals for whom land means community, belonging, heritage and home.
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