Plans for the construction of a new $180 million casino near Muskegon are still under consideration however, officials behind the project say they are growing increasingly frustrated with Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer., as her office has been silent on the subject.
A new casino in Fruitport Township had once been seen as a sure thing. Located on the property that once housed the Great Lakes Downs racetrack on Harvey Street, the new gaming site would have been operated by the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians and had widespread and bi-partisan support from lakeshore lawmakers and business owners. After a decade of meetings and permits only one thing stood in the way of crews breaking ground--Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s signature.
Not so fast.
Another tribe, the Grand River Band of Ottawa Indians, claimed rightful ownership to the land that the casino would be built on. The only problem, the Grand River Band is not a federally recognized tribe, however, an application for federal recognition was in the works, and so Whitmer rejected the casino pending the decision from the US Bureau of Indian Affairs.
Fast forward to last February, when the Bureau rejected the Grand River Band’s recognition request, which officials say should have paved the way for Whitmer to reverse her decision. That has not happened, says Little River officials, in fact, her office is not even returning the tribe’s phone calls.
Larry Romanelli is a tribal omega. He says it's frustrating considering the economic driver the casino would be for Muskegon County.
Meanwhile the Grand River Band is appealing against the denial of federal recognition. The final decision on federal recognition is set to be made by this August.
