Aquinnah, Mass. — Officials in a Martha's Vineyard town are ordering an Indian tribe to stop construction work as it plans to turn a tribal community center into a gambling hall.

The town of Aquinnah issued a cease and desist order to the Aquinnah Wampanoag tribe late Monday.

Town administration Adam Wilson says the order was prompted by reports the tribe retained a contractor and architect and began cleanup around the center, which was built years ago but never completed.

The town, in its order, also says Tobias Vanderhoop, the tribe's chairman, testified under oath recently that the tribe would not allow town inspections as it seeks to build a gambling hall offering high-stakes bingo-style electronic games, which it believes is allowable on tribal land under federal law.

Vanderhoop did not immediately comment.