off-reservation gaming

BMIC and Sault Tribe Bills News Coverage

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

From Indianz:

Michigan off-reservation gaming bills delayed

The House Natural Resources Committee was due to consider two off-reservation gaming bills on Thursday but they were delayed due to opposition from Michigan. H.R. 2176 and H.R. 4115 settle land claims for the Bay Mills Indian Community and the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, respectively. The bills allow the tribes to open casinos away from their existing reservations. The bills have the support of some members of Michigan’s Congressional delegation. But Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick (D-Michigan) opposes them and got House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-California) to pull them from the committee’s markup yesterday, The Detroit Free Press reported. Rep. John Conyers (D-Michigan) also opposes the legislation, the paper said. “I will not call up those bills today,” Rep. Nick Rahall (D-West Virginia), the chairman of the committee, said yesterday in response to the controversy.

Get the Story:
Casino proposals for Port Huron, Romulus on hold (The Detroit Free Press 11/15)
Dice yet to be rolled on new casinos (SooToday 11/15)

BMIC & Sault Tribe Land Claim Settlement Bills Tabled

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

From Indianz:

UPDATE
After a delay of more than one hour, the committee started the markup. Rep. Nick Rahall (D-West Virginia), however, said the two Michigan off-reservation gaming/land claim settlement bills will not be considered. “I will not call up those bills today,” the chairman said.

Bay Mills and Sault Tribe Land Settlement Bills

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

From Soo News: “The possibility of two new Michigan casinos operated by the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians and Bay Mills Indian Community will be debated by legislators in Washington next week.

“On Thursday, the House’s Natural Resource Committee will consider bills to provide land for proposed casinos in Romulus near Detroit and Port Huron.”

Sault Tribe Land Settlement Deal and H.R. 3048

Our post on the Bay Mills bill is here.

Details about the House Resources Committee hearing will be here.

Bay Mills Charlotte Beach Land Settlement Bill Update

Matthew L.M. Fletcher2 Comments

From the Port Huron Times Herald: “Stupak’s bill is the latest of several attempts to win congressional and presidential approval of the Aug. 23, 2002, land swap approved by then-Gov. John Engler and Bay Mills, a Chippewa band based at Brimley in the eastern Upper Peninsula.“The tribe gave up its long-standing claim to 110 acres of property at Charlotte Beach, a community on the St. Marys River, in exchange for a reservation on the 15-acre Thomas Edison Inn property in Port Huron.”

Details about H.R. 2176 are here.

Bay Mills’ claim against the State of Michigan in regards to Charlotte Beach was dismissed in 2001 by the Michigan Court of Appeals. The opinion is here.

Two Casinos in Romulus? Unlikely….

Matthew L.M. Fletcher1 Comment

From the Romulus Roman: “It’s possible that the City of Romulus may house two casinos, after all.”Representatives from the Sioux Indians contacted the city recently to restart negotiations that had halted in 2004. The tribe successfully lobbied the city for a ballot issue in 2003 that paved the way for gaming in the city.

“Mayor Alan Lambert said the interest of the tribe could mean that two casinos as opposed to one could be constructed near Detroit Metropolitan Airport.”

***

“In 2005, the Hannahville Indian Tribe signed a deal with the city to open a casino on Vining Road near the airport. State and federal approvals are still pending on that proposal.”

I think they mean “Sault” Indians, not “Sioux” Indians. In any event, the chances of this happening any time soon are paltry at best.