The Omaha Tribe has asked the Nebraska Supreme Court to restore its protection from lawsuits after two tribal leaders signed a waiver of immunity with an Omaha-based contractor. StoreVisions, Inc. sued the tribe in October of 2009 saying it has not been paid for construction work on the tribe’s casinos and racetrack facilities. Federal law grants sovereign immunity to American Indian tribes, but a Thurston County district judge ruled earlier this year that the Omaha Tribe waived that right. The Nebraska Supreme Court will hear the appeal on Jan. 7. The tribe, headquartered in Macy, Neb., reopened its Casino Omaha in Onawa, Iowa on Dec. 15 after closing 18 months earlier due to declining business and regulatory violations.
Omaha Tribe asks court to restore sovereign immunity
