Tribal Trio's Objections Slow Down Casino Project in Michigan

Despite the project being initially greenlighted, three tribes of Gun Lake Tribe, Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi, and Saginaw Chippewa Indians are now objecting to the Muskegon County Casino. This undertaking began in 2008 by the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians (LRBOI).

The united complaints from the tribal trio succeeded in delaying the federal government’s approval for LRBOI plans to establish the venue at Fruitport Township in Michigan.

Late-In-The-Game Opposition

The whole situation seems a bit absurd as the planned project is actually not the only casino in the radius, and certainly not the first one to be established by the LRBOI. There’s another venue operating within a two-hour drive of the proposed location. However, the tribe in charge there hasn’t ed the opposing ones.

At the very beginning, the $180 million project to be built on former (but now-vacant) Great Lakes Downs was widely ed by the locals.

However, LRBOI chief (tribal Ogema) Larry Romanelli, calls this late-in-the-game opposition “shameful.” He says that it’s not a surprise and that he expects more delays and objections:

“They’ve known about this project; this is an attempt to slow down the process. We will prevail…”

Is It A Homeland Or Business Defense?

The spokesman for the opposing tribes that operate several venues such as Soaring Eagle Casino and Resort, Firekeepers Casino Hotel and Gun Lake Casino, James Nye, points out that the first obstacles and disapprovals date back to 2009. He remarks that this is definitely not the “11th-hour objection,” and that Romanelli is aware of that.

Nye commented that the planned LRBOI casino would have a negative impact on Gun Lake Casino business, resulting in reduced revenue sharing and job losses. Moreover, he adds that the distinction between the Gun Lake Casino and the proposed LRBOI casino is that the first one is on “homelands” whereas The Muskegon County project isn’t. As he claims:

“Of course we one another doing gaming where our reservations are located; GLT s what they do in Manistee. Going 100 miles away is apples to oranges.”

To make the whole situation even more awkward, LRBOI has never opposed the Gun Lake Casino in Wayland Township, but actually ed the whole thing. Gun Lake “took a sizable amount of money” from LRBOI’s Little River Casino Resort, near Manistee.

Great Project Waiting For Some Better Days

This property was supposed to include 69,000 square feet of gaming floor space with 220 hotel rooms, along with a conference and meeting room and dining and entertainment options. It would also have…

…1,700 slot machines and 35 table games.

Moreover, it would employ 1,200 Michigan residents full-time, with an average annual pay of $45,000 plus benefits. The revenue is planned to help provide housing, health care, and many other tribal government services to residents in the area.

However, the project needs to wait for federal and state approval before the construction work begins.

Source:

“Tribes objections to Muskegon area casino “shameful”, chief says”, Lofton Justine”, mlive.com, March 19, 2019.