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A high-stakes confrontation is building in Lloydminster, as First Nations on both sides of the Alberta-Saskatchewan border plan casinos for the city.

Representatives from both sides acknowledge only one such facility would be feasible.

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“The Lloydminster market only has room for one casino,” said Bruce Simms, project manager for the Lloydminster Regional Entertainment Complex Project.

Alberta’s Frog Lake First Nation detailed plans last week for the $100-million casino and entertainment complex just west of the city. The proposal features a casino, a WHL-sized hockey arena, a convention centre and a hotel featuring upscale accommodations such as a spa and an indoor water park.

The First Nation has purchased 140 acres of land for the development, according Simms.

“It’s just a great location for our project,” he said.

Frog Lake’s news release came just two days after Saskatchewan’s Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) voted to approve development of a Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority (SIGA) casino on the Saskatchewan side of Lloydminster. The province gave tentative approval for the project in April.