Tribal Casino News - 2010
December 22, 2010
Yesterday, December
21, 2010, the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians (“Tribe”)
announced that a collective bargaining agreement has been reached
between the Little River Casino Resort and the United Steelworkers.
The agreement is the first of its kind to be reached after a union
election campaign and collective bargaining process governed solely
by tribal law.
December 22, 2010
On December 21, 2010,
the Little Traverse Bay Band of Odawa Indians and the Michigan
Attorney General filed separate complaints in the U.S. District
Court for the Western District of Michigan alleging that the Bay
Mills Indian Community’s (“Bay Mills Tribe”) Vanderbilt casino is
not located on “Indian lands” as defined by federal law and state
compacts. Both of the complaints allege that, because the facility
is allegedly not located on “Indian lands,” the Bay Mills Tribe
cannot conduct gaming activities at the Vanderbilt location. The
complaints seek to enjoin the Bay Mills Tribe from conducting any
Class III gaming activities at the Vanderbilt site.
December 10, 2010
On Monday, December
6, 2010, the Bay Mills Indian Community (“Tribe”) announced that
contractors had begun work at its recently opened Vanderbilt casino
to add 1,400 square feet to the facility. The facility currently
occupies the former Project Nature Welcome Center, a 1,200
square-foot building off of Interstate 75.
December 10, 2010
On Tuesday, December
7, 2010, the Gun Lake Band of Pottawatomi Indians (“Tribe”) received
its first shipment of slot machines at its Gun Lake Casino in
Wayland Township. Tribal officials, casino workers, and members of
the press were present at a brief ceremony marking the delivery of
the machines.
December 3, 2010
On Monday, November
29, 2010, the Gun Lake Casino announced that, as it prepares for its
opening in February of 2011, its human resources department has
received thousands of job applications to fill the estimated 750
positions available at the casino.
December 3, 2010
On November 23, 2010,
The Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan (“Tribe”) issued a
press release indicating that it is pleased with the recent decision
of U.S. District Court Judge Thomas Ludington to accept settlement
agreements among the Tribe, the United Stated Government, the state
of Michigan, the city of Mt. Pleasant and Isabella County that will
bring to an end a lawsuit filed by the Tribe in 2005. According to
the Tribe’s press release, the Court heard objections raised by
Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox before ultimately agreeing to
accept the settlement agreement.
November 12, 2010
On Wednesday,
November 10, 2010, an order establishing a public comment period for
a proposed land settlement agreement between the Saginaw Chippewa
Indian Tribe of Michigan (“Tribe”) and the state was entered by the
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. The order
allows interested parties to voice their opinions on the proposed
settlement order.
November 12, 2010
According to The
Petoskey News, the Little Traverse Bay Band of Odawa Indians (Odawa
Indians) has announced that it is holding off paying its 6% payment
to the State of Michigan’s strategic fund as called for in the
Tribe’s compact with the State of Michigan. The announcement comes
in response to the new Bay Mills Casino that opened last week in
Vanderbilt, Michigan.
November 5, 2010
According to WNDU-TV
16, ground work started last week on the Four Winds North, a
satellite gaming facility of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians
(Band). The casino would be located near I-94, just west of the city
of Hartford in Van Buren County.
November 5, 2010
On Wednesday,
November 3, 2010, the Bay Mills Indian Community (BMIC) officially
opened the doors to a Bay Mills Resort and Casinos’ gaming facility
on a 47-acre parcel of land purchased in August in Vanderbilt,
Michigan, just north of Gaylord. Several Michigan-based Native
American tribes have raised legality issues regarding the casino.
October 29, 2010
The Gun Lake Band of
Pottawatomi (“Tribe”) is currently accepting online applications for
positions at Gun Lake Casino, which is scheduled to open during the
first quarter of 2011. According to the Gun Lake Casino’s website,
interviews will be conducted starting in November to fill an
estimated 700 positions at the site.
October 15, 2010
On October 24, 2010,
The Gun Lake Band of Pattawatomi (“Tribe”) will begin accepting
online applications for positions at its Gun Lake Casino. According
to the Gun Lake Casino’s website, interviews will be conducted
starting in November to fill an estimated 700 positions at the site.
Resumés for management positions are currently being accepted. The
casino is on track to be completed in mid-February, 2011 and is
located off of U.S. 131, south of Wayland, Michigan.
September 24, 2010
Last week, the Gun
Lake Tribe of Pottawatomi Indians (“Gun Lake Tribe”) and Skanska USA
held Skanska’s sixth annual Safety Week. In addition, the Gun Lake
Tribe gave a progress update on the casino construction project. The
Tribe expects an opening in mid-February, 2011. Skanska USA is the
construction manager for the Gun Lake Casino, which is being
constructed in Bradley, Michigan.
September 10, 2010
On Wednesday,
September 8, 2010, the Hartford Township Board of Trustees voted
unanimously on three resolutions that provided the Board’s official
support of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians’ (“Band”) intent
to construct a nearby gaming facility. The casino would be located
near I-94, just west of the city of Hartford in Van Buren County.
August 20, 2010
On Tuesday, August
17, 2010, The Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe started the process of
construction of a new water park resort by demolishing the Soaring
Eagle Inn. The new hotel and water park facility will stand just
miles from Soaring Eagle Casino Resort, which has 200,000 square
feet of gaming floor space and 514 hotel rooms.
July 27, 2010
On Tuesday, July 27,
2010, the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi’s (“Tribe”) Gaming Authority
announced that it has voted to approve plans to expand its gaming
operations. The Pokagon Band currently owns the Four Winds Casino
Resort in New Buffalo, Michigan. The casino is operated by
Minneapolis-based Lakes Entertainment, Inc.
July 20, 2010
On Tuesday, July 20,
2010, the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians
(“Tribe”) announced that it has finalized financing to complete
construction of the Gun Lake Casino, located in Wayland Township,
Michigan. The Tribe’s tentative opening date for the Gun Lake Casino
is set for early 2011.
July 1, 2010
O n Thursday, July
1st, the House Regulatory Reform Committee met to discuss House
Concurrent Resolution 0054 (HCR 54). If passed, the resolution would
approve a compact amendment which seeks to allow the Little River
Band of Ottawa Indians (“Little River Band”) to open its second
Class III gaming facility at a location in Muskegon County once
certain other federal governmental approvals are received. The
Little River Band currently owns and operates the Little River
Casino Resort in Manistee, Michigan.
June 25, 2010
O n June 10, 2010,
the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians (“Sault Tribe”) and
Kewadin Casinos announced the disbursement of over $786,000 to local
communities for use in funding for road projects, public safety,
technology improvements, playground equipment, reading programs and
recreational projects. The biannual payment is required as part of
the tribal-state gaming compact between the Sault Tribe and the
state of Michigan. Pursuant to the compact, 2-percent of the
electronic gaming device revenue earned by the Sault Tribe at their
Kewadin Casinos is to be distributed to certain local communities
twice a year.
According to
Bloomberg News, the Gun Lake Tribe of Pottawatomi Indians have
sought a $160 million loan to complete construction of its partially
finished Gun Lake Casino, located about 20 miles south of Grand
Rapids in Wayland Township, Michigan.
June 18, 2010
The Economic
Development Corporation of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa &
Chippewa Indians (“Grand Traverse Band”) announced the hiring of
Donald Ponniah as President & General Manager of Grand Traverse
Resort & Spa. As the former general manager of he Hilton North in
Los Angeles, California, Mr. Ponniah has over 20 years of experience
in the hospitality industry and holds a hotel management and
business administration degree from the University of New Haven in
West Haven, Connecticut. According to the press release, Mr. Ponniah
will begin acting as general manager on Monday, June 21.
The Nottawaseppi
Huron Band of the Potawatomi (NHBP) announced today the results of
its election for Tribal Council. Three seats on the five-member
Tribal Council were up for election on Saturday, April 24, 2010.
May
13, 2010
O n Thursday, May 13,
2010, President Barack Obama announced his intent to appoint Derek
Bailey, Tribal Chairman of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and
Chippewa Indians, to the National Advisory Council on Indian
Education.
According to recent
reports, the Odawa Casino Resort in Petoskey, Michigan has announced
the hiring of David Wolf as its new general manager and Melissa
Richards as director of human resources.
April 30, 2010
Christine Zuidema,
Executive Secretary for Calhoun County, Michigan today told The
Michigan Gaming Newsletter that no local governments have submitted
applications to the FireKeepers Casino Local Revenue Sharing Board (LRSB)
revenue. The applications to receive reimbursements for costs
incurred from the establishment of the FireKeepers Casino in Battle
Creek are due May 7.
April 23, 2010
According to a recent
report in the Petoskey News-Review, Ken Harrington confirmed that
Scott Cannaday, Odawa Casino’s director of finance resigned April
23, 2010.
April 19, 2010
O n Monday, April 19,
2010, FireKeepers Casino officials announced a partnership with
Borgess Health to open an exclusive health clinic for their 1,500
team members.
April 15, 2010
On Thursday, April
15, 2010, Michigan representative Doug Bennett (D – Muskegon
Township) introduced House Concurrent Resolution 54 (“HCR 54”) in
the Michigan House of Representatives proposing an amendment to the
Little River Band of Ottawa Indians’ (“Little River Band”) state
compact that would allow the tribe to operate a second casino in
Fruitport Township.
April 5, 2010
Some local Michigan
governments could receive reimbursements for costs incurred from the
establishment of the FireKeepers Casino in Battle Creek from the
FireKeepers Local Revenue Sharing Board (LRSB) as soon as June 30,
2010.
March 23, 2010
The Nottawaseppi
Huron Band of the Potawatomi (“NHBP”) announced the hiring of a new
Tribal Executive Director, Aaron Payment. According to the NHBP’s
press release, Mr. Payment assumed the position on March 8, 2010.
March 19, 2010
On March 19,
2010, Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm sent letters to the
Speaker of the House, Andy Dillon and Majority Leader of the
Michigan Senate, Mike Bishop, indicating that she has entered into
two separate but related amendments to the Little River Band of
Ottawa Indians Class III Gaming Compact. The changes will permit the
Little River Band to proceed with efforts to develop a casino in
Fruitport Township, Michigan. The Little River Band current operates
the Little River Casino in Manistee, Michigan, (www.lrcr.com).
March 11, 2010
The Michigan State Senate voted unanimously to allow school districts
which receive money through Class III Tribal compacts to use casino
funds for college scholarship programs.
February 12, 2010
The Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi (NHBP) Tribal Council
presented its first payment to the FireKeepers Local Revenue Sharing
Board. The nearly $2 million payment took place in the Calhoun
County Board of Commissioner’s Room in Marshall, MI.
According to the
Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi (NHBP) publication, Turtle
Press, the tribe has also begun expansion plans for FireKeepers
Casino. The casino complex opened on August 5, 2009 in Battle Creek,
Michigan and FireKeepers rests on 78 acres. The current facility
utilizes approximately half of this property.
February 5, 2010
According to published reports, plans to expand the Saganing Eagles
Landing Casino are currently in the works.
February 2,
2010
Today, legislation was introduced in the Michigan Senate which, if
passed, would allow public schools with Native American casinos in
their districts to establish scholarship funding for students and
graduates. It would also allow school districts to use the money for
operational expenses.
January 29, 2010
Lansing based Clark Construction Company was awarded a 2009 Build
Michigan Award from the Michigan Chapter of Associated General
Contractors (“AGC”) for the construction of FireKeepers Casino.
People gathered today
to celebrate the placement of the last beam of the iron frame work
for the construction of the new Gun Lake Casino located about 20
miles south of Grand Rapids in Wayland Township, Michigan.
January 18, 2010
FireKeepers Casino in Battle Creek, Michigan announced the
conclusion of nine training sessions for casino employees. Training
sessions were put on by the Michigan Association on Problem Gambling
(MAPG).
