The Bureau of Indian Affairs recently issued a draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians’ $180 million off-reservation casino in Fruitport Township, Michigan. The tribe purchased the former Great Lakes Downs racetrack property a decade ago, and filed its land-trust application in 2015. It’s located about 96 miles south of the tribe’s Little River Casino Resort in Manistee.
The BIA will hold a public meeting on the draft EIS on December 12 and will take comments until January 7. Tribal Ogema Larry Romanelli said, “This is a long awaited big step for the Little River Band and the Muskegon community to bring economic development to the region as the opportunity to comment on the DEIS is an important public part of the review process.”
The proposed project, which could open in 2020, would include 69,000 square feet of gaming area with 1,700 slots and 35 table games, plus a 220-room hotel. Romanelli said it would create 1,200 new jobs. Fruitport Township and the Muskegon County Board of Commissioners previously approved the project. The tribe has signed a municipal services agreement with Muskegon County and Fruitport Township to make payments for public safety, sanitary sewer, public water construction and other casino-related services.
The governor of Michigan will have the final approval on the Little River Band’s proposed casino. “I have high hopes that the state governor, House and Senate will be supportive. We’re in a good place and doing this for good reasons. They all understand jobs in West Michigan,” Romanelli said.
