Muskegon city commissioners approved an agreement with an Upper Peninsula Indian tribe that could bring the city upwards of $4.5 million a year in new revenue if the tribe builds a casino here.
The agreement with the Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewas is non binding and nonexclusionary, meaning that similar agreements could be forged with other casino entities -- like the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, which presented its own, much larger casino proposal to city officials on Monday.
Larry Romanelli, Little River's elected tribal leader, was present for tuesday's action. Asked afterward if it could have an effect on Little River's plans, he said, "It could. We're going to have to talk about it."
In the end, the agreement that counts will be the one with the tribal entity that successfully negotiates the welter of state and federal regulations that govern Indian gaming.
For the full article, see Muskegon, tribe reach preliminary pact on casino, Grand Rapids Press via Mlive, February 14, 2008
While, a casino in Muskegon is likely years away, news like this is still not good for Michigan's charitable bingos.
Many opposition groups have formed and will fight the casino for years. However, should they fail, continued expansion of casinos in Michigan will mean less and less non-profit groups will be able to depend on bingo to make ends meet.
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