Michigan’s Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, denied by Governor Gretchen Whitmer in its plan for a casino in Muskegon County, will appeal its plan directly to the federal government.
Tribal Ogema Larry Romanelli told the MLive.com news site that federal support is strong for the project, and the tribe will resubmit its tribal gaming application directly to the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI).
“The Department of Interior said, ‘Sure, you can submit another package,’ and the timeline shouldn’t be as long—we know it has huge support from the community,’” Romanelli told MLive.
The tribe developed its $180 million casino proposal over nearly 14 years, and spent millions on environmental impact studies in developing a comprehensive proposal. DOI approved the project in December 2020, subject to Whitmer’s approval because the location, at the intersection of U.S. 31 and I-96 in Fruitport Township, is off the tribe’s reservation.
Whitmer refused to sign off on the project by a June 16 deadline, noting a pending recognition application from another tribe, the Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians, that may build a casino in the same area. The governor had asked the federal government to rule on the Grand River recognition before making her decision.
In a press release issued Oct. 26, Fruitport Township Supervisor Todd Dunham called on Whitmer to approve the casino, regardless of the deadlines. “The DOI does extensive analysis and the governor’s office should be able to rely on their conclusions and recommendations,” Dunham said in a statement. “The DOI said they have never seen a project with so much support. The idea that this interferes with another tribe is just a smokescreen.”
