indian gaming regulatory act

Lac Vieux Desert Band Cuts Deal with Muskegon

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

From Indianz:

The city council in Muskegon, Michigan, voted 5-2 to approve an agreement with the Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa for an off-reservation casino.

The deal requires the tribe to pay $2 million a year for municipal services plus 4 percent of net gaming revenues and other service fees. The total annual payment is estimated at $4.5 million. The agreement is non-binding and non-exclusionary. The Little River Band of Ottawa Indians is also proposing an off-reservation casino in the city.

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Staudenmaier on “Reservation Shopping”

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here is a short article on “Reservation Shopping,” including a short discussion on the new rules from Interior on taking land into trust for gaming purposes — Reservation Shopping

Granholm Amendment to Bay Mills Charlotte Beach Settlement

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

As reported earlier, here is the amendment to the Bay Mills Indian Community settlement agreement executed last November.

Bay Mills Indian Community 2002 Settlement

Bay Mills Indian Community 2007 Settlement Amendment

Written Testimony from House Resources Hearing re: Off-Rez Gaming

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Carl Artman–Dept. of Interior

 Jeff Parker–Bay Mills Indian Community

Aaron Payment–Sault Tribe

Alan Lambert–Romulus

Karl Tomion–Port Huron

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Abramoff-Style Media Assault on Port Huron/Flint/Romulus Deal

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

From the Port Huron Times Herald:

Casino foes launch blitzes in Detroit, D.C.

A media blitz aimed at rallying opposition to proposed casinos in Port Huron and Romulus is being orchestrated by a public-relations consultant who has worked for some of the biggest names in Democratic politics.

Peter Ragone III confirmed he is president of the newly created Americans for Gaming Reform Inc., which has launched a radio campaign in Detroit and bought a full-page ad Tuesday in Roll Call, a newspaper that covers Capitol Hill.

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News Coverage of House Hearing on Port Huron/Romulus Indian Land Claims Settlement: “Scam”?

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

From the Detroit Free Press:

During his testimony before the House Natural Resources Committee, Kilpatrick seemed at ease, defending his city from incursions he said no one should doubt would hurt Detroit’s three casinos.

“We’re pitting Port Huron against Romulus against Detroit,” he told the committee, with his mother, Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, looking on.

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House Resources Committee Meeting re: BMIC and Sault Tribe Land Claims Settlement Bills — Feb. 6

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

The House Natural Resources Committee, led by Chairman Nick J. Rahall (D-WV), will hold a legislative hearing on the following bills:

  • H.R. 2176 (Stupak): To provide for and approve the settlement of certain land claims of the Bay Mills Indian Community.
  • H.R. 4115 (Dingell): To provide for and approve the settlement of certain land claims of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians.

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Kansas v. Kempthorne & Wyandotte Nation — Revised CA10 Opinion

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

The Tenth Circuit granted the government’s motion for rehearing and issued a revised opinion.

CA10 Panel Decision (pre-rehearing)

Kempthorne Petition for Rehearing

State and Tribal Response to Petition

Florida S.Ct. Seminole Compact Case — Oral Argument

Matthew L.M. Fletcher1 Comment

The Florida Supreme Court held oral argument yesterday (H/T Indianz) on the state law challenge to the Class III compact executed by the Seminole Tribe of Florida. You can listen here.

Here are some of the major materials in House of Representatives v. Crist (the rest are at this link):

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Complaint in Nebraska v. National Indian Gaming Commission (S.D. Iowa)

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Complaint — State of Nebraska v. National Indian Gaming Commission

Indianz.com reported this morning that:

Nebraska attorney general Jon Bruning on Wednesday sued the National Indian Gaming Commission for allowing the Ponca Tribe to open a casino in Iowa. Bruning is upset that the tribe, whose headquarters are in Nebraska, might open a casino across the border in Carter Lake, Iowa. He filed suit in the federal district court for the Southern District of Iowa.. The state of Iowa is also considering a lawsuit.

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