The White Earth Band of Chippewa’s proposed Star Lake Casino in Otter Tail County, Minnesota, proposed three years ago by former leaders of the tribe, will not be built. In a special meeting, the tribal business committee voted 4-0 to rescind the 2015 resolution authorizing the development of a casino at Star Lake.
The project came to a halt following the tribal election in June, when two opponents of the project won seats on the tribal council. Leonard “Alan” Roy received 1,134 votes, defeating casino promoter Tara Mason, who received 1,082 votes. Roy included defunding the project in his campaign platform.
Also, the Star Lake Concerned Citizens group worked to oppose the project, claiming it would be an environmental disaster and ruin the quality of life in the pristine Star Lake area. The casino, resort, convention center and RV complex would have been built on Indian trust land and other property owned by the tribe on Star Lake. The group used the line, “It’s not a done deal,” in all of its signs, materials and social media. “This is the official word we’ve been waiting for,” said area resident Ty Dayton, leader of the opposition group.
Following the tribal council’s recent vote to kill the casino project, Roy said, “This outcome proved that a handful of tribal members could stop a $130 million gaming machine. Tribal members banded together to advance the common good. Recuperating the resources wasted on this project will be a project in itself.”
White Earth had already spent about $7 million on the Star Lake project, including land acquisition, buying wetlands credits and architectural, planning and environmental fees.
The White Earth band operates the Shooting Star Casino in Mahnomen and a small satellite casino in Bagley.
