Who’s Behind Phil Lakin’s “Solid Rumors?”

The one thing that’s annoyed me more than anything about the growing controversy over the planned casino by the Kialegee tribe in Broken Arrow is the completely unfounded rumors about casinos spreading across Tulsa once the Kialegees open theirs. The theory goes that once the Kialegees open their casino–which would be on individually held Creek land leased to the tribe–anyone with allotment land will be able to put a casino on the land. The theory is pretty far-fetched and stupid, but the rumors have been flying around Tulsa in the last two weeks and no one’s done more to fuel the rumors than new city councilor Phil Lakin.

Last week, Lakin said he was receiving calls from constituents about a property in South Tulsa that currently hosts an Indian smoke shop. At that time Lakin argued that

“It’s just scary to think that the zoning laws we have in place, and the way the public has set out their neighborhoods, that what they think they’re building their homes and businesses next to is not necessarily what it’s going to be.”

The Tulsa World called the smoke shop and the clerk said there were no plans for a casino on the property. Yesterday, Lakin stepped up his statements, arguing that there were “solid rumors” circulating around South Tulsa about the property, while at the same time admitting he hasn’t talked to the property owners. Later that day Lakin told KOTV’s Emory Bryan that the rumors were coming from a variety of sources–a land owner, an attorney associated with an unnamed LLC, and another unnamed source. The story, which is one of the most hideous pieces of “reporting” I’ve seen in a while, includes a comment by an area resident that she “can’t believe they would allow a casino to be built around an elementary school because when you have a casino you have everything that goes with it like the drinking and the crime.”

The rumors hold about as much credibility as the rumors that other groundwork in Broken Arrow was for a casino. That groundwork turned out to be for a new fire station. It’s sad to see the rumors flying around Tulsa, but it’s even worse that a city councilor is willing to peddle unfounded and stupid rumors.