September 02, 2008 –
According to an article in the August 30 DeKalb County Daily Chronicle, the Shabbona Village Board approved an intergovernmental agreement with the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation (PBPN) on August 28 to provide sewer and water service to the PBPN for the proposed gaming facility and government center. In addition, the board pledged unanimous support for the gaming project during the special meeting.
The PBPN purchased 128 acres of land near the community of Shabbona, Illinois in April 2006 in hopes of building an electronic bingo hall and other PBPN entities on the property. Since that time, members of Tribal Council and other PBPN leaders have been traveling back and forth to the area to establish a business and neighborly presence in DeKalb County and surrounding communities.
Presently the land is being evaluated by the National Indian gaming Commission as to whether it should receive reservation status or not. The land was originally reserved by the 1829 Treaty of Prairie du Chien for Chief Shab-eh-nay and his Band which merged into and which is now recognized as the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation.