Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has until June 16 to decide if she’ll approve the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians’ proposed $180 million casino and hotel in Muskegon County.
Little River Ogema Larry Romanelli said tribal leaders have been communicating with Whitmer’s staff since she requested a one-time, 6-month extension in December due to Covid-19 and opposition from other tribes and casino operators.
Romanelli said, “It’s been a long, hard road, but I think I feel comfortable right now because I know that we’ve dotted all the I’s and crossed all the T’s. Whitmer’s administration wanted to make sure that they had all the information. They’ve been very thorough in that to make sure they have every question answered. Obviously, there are things that come up that people pose a question or concern. Those have all been answered from our team.” A Whitmer spokesman said her administration is “continuing to review the proposal.”
Tribal analysts estimated the casino would draw 2 million visitors annually, and add tens of millions of dollars to the economy and create thousands of jobs. A portion of the profits would go toward expanding critical services, such as healthcare and housing support to tribal members.
Romanelli said construction could start within a few weeks if Whitmer signs off on the project. It would require about two years to complete.
If the governor doesn’t approve the casino, Romanelli said the tribe would look into redeveloping it for its own use. “We have no more extensions, this is it, so obviously I’d be asking for a yes and if she waits until the last day, I’d be okay with that too,” he said.
