Miccosukee Casino In Miami Florida
The money was used for purchases of real estate, investments, vehicles and even children’s prepaid college funds, officials said
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Miccosukee Located in the heart of the Everglades, Miccosukee Resort & Gaming is home to South Florida’s original gaming and all-around entertainment emporium. With non-stop gaming thrills and the highest payouts in town, there is something for everyone. Come for the gaming, stay for the fun! For those who want to bet on a good time during their vacation in the Miami area, Miccosukee Resort and Casino will insure you come out a winner.
A woman and a former worker at a Florida casino operated by a Native American tribe have been sentenced to federal prison for their roles in stealing more than $5 million from the business.
A federal judge in Miami sentenced Lester Lavin, 44, on Monday to 4 years and 3 months and girlfriend Anisleydi Vergel Hermida, 31, to six months, according to court records. Three of Lester's former co-workers at Miccosukee Resort & Gaming and their three respective spouses have also pleaded guilty in the case and are set to be sentenced by the end of next month.
The four workers tampered with gambling machines at the casino run by the Miccosukee tribe, prosecutors said. The machines would generate credit vouchers that were then exchanged for cash. The workers' significant others helped launder the money, officials said.
Local
The money was used for purchases of real estate, investments, vehicles and even children’s prepaid college funds, officials said. The scheme ran from January 2011 to May 2015.
| Miccosukee Resort and Gaming | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Type | Hotel and casino |
| Address | Miami, Florida, USA |
| Coordinates | 25°45′48″N80°29′4″W / 25.76333°N 80.48444°W |
| Completed | 1999 |
| Opened | 1999 |
Miccosukee Resort & Gaming is a resort and casino on the western outskirts of Miami, Florida, off 500 Southwest 177th Avenue on the edge of the Everglades.[1] Located in a 9-story building, it has a colored statue of a young Miccosukee boy outside the front entrance.[2][3] It has been cited as 'one of the most unusual resort destinations in Florida' due to the contrast between the Native American village surroundings and the casino.[4] Established in 1999 at a reported cost of $45 million, it is operated by about 400 members of the Miccosukee Tribe.[5][6][7]
History of the Tribe[edit]
The proud Miccosukee tribe's history predates Columbus. Before Florida became part of the United States, the Miccosukee tribe migrated to there. They separated from the Creek Nation by doing so.[8]
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In the 1800s, about 100 Mikasuki-speaking Creeks hid in the Everglades during the Indian Wars. Since then, the Tribe has expanded to more than 600 members and it continues to grow.[8]
In order to live in the Everglades, the Miccosukees had to adapt to living in small groups in temporary 'hammock style' camps. The Miccosukees stayed to themselves in the Everglades for about 100 years, resisting efforts to become assimilated until Tamiami Trail was built in 1928. In 1959, Buffalo Tiger led a group to Cuba to speak to Fidel Castro and obtain international recognition as a sovereign country within the United States. On January 11, 1962, the U.S. Secretary of the Interior approved the Miccosukee Constitution and the Tribe was officially recognized as the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida. This legally established the Miccosukees' tribal existence and their sovereign, domestic dependant nation status with the United States Government.[8]On March 6, 1971, the Miccosukee Corporation was formed to receive and administer funds from private foundations as well as county, state and federal agencies for a variety of educational, employment, housing and social programs for members of the Miccosukee community. The officers of the Corporation consist of a President, Secretary and a Treasurer. The Chairman of the General Council is also the President and the principal executive of the Corporation.[8]
Facilities[edit]
The resort has 256 deluxe guest rooms, 56 suites and conference and banquet facilities.[4] 2009 estimates claim the Miccosukee Resort to earn an estimated $75 million a year.[9] The gaming centre includes slot machines and a poker section.[10] The venue regularly hosts poker tournaments.[11] The resort has a contemporary pool and fitness facility available to its guests. Sauna, jacuzzi, and access to equipment are located on the first floor of the resort.[12]
Dining[edit]
There are six places to eat inside of Miccosukee's resort and gaming casino. Empeek-Cheke provides upscale dining through Miccosukee's signature restaurant. Empeeke Aaweeke offers first class dining at affordable prices, the restaurant's hallmark. The popular International Buffet offers an assortment of food ranging from meats to pastas. The buffet is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner with menu items changing for each. The Empeek Aya provides for a treat at any time of day. The deli is open 24-hours a day and offers snacks and sandwiches and burgers. Miccosukee also offers dining through its Café Hammock. The informal restaurant serves Florida Lobster and Steak, and is open 24-hours a day. It offers other types of seafood and meat. The Bingo Snack Bar is a convenience stand that offers snacks and meals such as hot dogs. It is located next to the Bingo Hall. Hot entrées and cool salads are prepared daily. On Sunday the resort and gaming casino has its Sunday Brunch.
Other[edit]
Nearby is the Miccosukee Golf and Country Club.[13] On September 29, 2011, Miccosukee Resort, along with Romance 106.7FM, Budweiser, 411 pain and Walgreens, organized a Latin music concert in Miami named 'Una Copa con Romance', attended by some 1500 people and artists such as Charlie Zaa.[14] The resort is a setting in the 2010 Jonathan King novel Acts of Nature.[15]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^'Miccosukee Resort & Gaming'. World Casino Directory. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
- ^Waitley, Douglas (1 October 2003). Beaches and Hills. Pineapple Press Inc. p. 115. ISBN978-1-56164-283-0. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
- ^Grimes, David; Becnel, Tom (11 January 2011). Florida Curiosities, 3rd. Globe Pequot. p. 192. ISBN978-0-7627-5989-7. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
- ^ abGuides, State Park; Simundson, Lisa (5 February 2011). Miami Alive Guide: Key Biscayne, Miami Beach, Coral Gables & Beyond. Hunter Publishing, Inc. p. 387. ISBN978-1-55650-458-7. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
- ^Public Gaming Research Institute; National Indian Gaming Association (2005). Indian gaming. Public Gaming Research Institute. p. 55. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
- ^Abravanel, Lesley (21 September 2010). Frommer's South Florida: With the Best of Miami and the Keys. John Wiley & Sons. p. 254. ISBN978-0-470-63235-2. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
- ^Fogelson, Raymond; Sturtevant, William (20 September 2004). Handbook of North American Indians, Volume 14: Southeast. Government Printing Office. p. 446. ISBN978-0-16-072300-1. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
- ^ abcdhttp://www.miccosukee.com/tribe/
- ^Illar, Lou (12 September 2009). Believe Me Or Your Lying Eyes With 'Hind' Sight!: An Entertaining History of Casinos, Corruption, and Charities in America. AuthorHouse. p. 51. ISBN978-1-4490-0751-5. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
- ^Pan, Hui. IPTV Monthly Newsletter September 2010. Information Gatekeepers Inc. p. 7. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
- ^Dallas, Jesse. Casino Shrine. Jai Dee Marketing. p. 168. ISBN978-0-9781429-6-4. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
- ^http://www.miccosukee.com/resort/
- ^Nijman, Jan (29 November 2011). Miami: Mistress of the Americas. University of Pennsylvania Press. p. 143. ISBN978-0-8122-4298-0. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
- ^'SBS Touts 'Una Copa con Romance''. Wireless News via HighBeam Research(subscription required). 9 October 2011. Archived from the original on 11 June 2014. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
- ^King, Jonathon (14 October 2010). Acts of Nature: A Max Freeman Mystery (Book Five). Open Road Media. p. 49. ISBN978-1-4532-9998-2. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
