The Muscogee (Creek) Nation’s Lighthorse police staged a raid Wednesday on the new, soon to open, Embers Grill in Broken Arrow.
Officers arrived around 6:30 p.m. They confiscated illegal gaming machines and equipment and took the owner, Steve Bruner, into custody.
The restaurant is within Broken Arrow city limits near 129th East Avenue and the Creek Turnpike, but it is on Kialegee Tribal Town allotment land. The tribal town is a faction of the Creeks. It wanted gaming to help pay for town projects.
Broken Arrow Mayor Craig Thurmond said the tribal police were proactive in dealing with the restaurant, which had not secured necessary tribal or federal approval for gambling.
"I hope that the Creek Nation continues to monitor activities on their land, and, as a citizen of Broken Arrow, I hope that no one else wants to game here," Thurmond said.
The city passed a resolution against illegal gaming at Embers Grill earlier this month because they have no jurisdiction on that land.
The Muscogee (Creek) Nation says it has oversight of the property and has said no to gaming. Kialegee Tribal Town residents say they are independent from the Muscogee (Creek) Nation.
