Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians

In 1540, Spanish conquistador Desoto was the first European to make contact with the Choctaw Indians in Mississippi. The following centuries of turmoil saw the Choctaws sold as slaves and moved out of their native lands. Today, the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians is a federally recognized, self-governing Indian tribe with approximately 8,900 enrolled members, most of whom live on or near the tribe s 30,000-acre reservation in east central Mississippi. The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians owns and operates a diversified portfolio of manufacturing, service, retail and tourism enterprises. In 1994, the tribe opened the Silver Star Hotel & Casino, which attracts approximately 3.2 million tourists annually. In 1997, it opened the Dancing Rabbit Golf Club, which consists of two 18-hole, championship golf courses and was ranked 37th best course to play by Golf Magazine.