The Keweenaw Bay Indian Community of Baraga, Michigan has been trying for 15 years to relocate its Ojibwa Casino II in Chocolay Township in the Upper Peninsula to a larger facility in the former Marquette County Airport in Negaunee Township. Recently tribal officials made one last attempt to ask Governor Rick Snyder to reconsider his earlier rejection of the tribe’s proposal.
Although the U.S. Department of Interior approved the relocation in 2011, and would have taken the parcel into federal trust, Snyder rejected it in 2013. At the time, Snyder said he would approve the plan if it would benefit local communities, the state and the tribe, and that any future agreement would include a requirement that taxes be levied by tribal businesses on every transaction with non-Indians. The tribe did not accept that proposal.
Snyder’s Press Secretary Anna Heaton said, “At this point, we aren’t aware of a pending application to have the airport parcel taken into trust, but if they decide to pursue that project, the governor will absolutely be willing to have discussions on it.”
Meanwhile KBIC is moving forward with plans to renovate the Ojibwa Casino II.
In 1999 KBIC purchase more than 50 acres at the former airport site for $1.4 million, and more than 500 acres were purchased by Peter O’Dovero, owner of O’Dovero Development and Associated Constructors LLC, with plans to build a major tourism entertainment destination with gaming as one part of an overall economic plan to benefit the region. If the new facility eventually gets approved, it would include a branded hotel and water park resort, gourmet restaurants, spa, salon, fitness center, golf course, conference center, five-star RV resort, retail outlets, entertainment venue and gaming facilities including a smoke-free room. The development would create at least 230 construction jobs and 200 new jobs for a total of 350 full-time positions plus 100 part-time jobs during the summer tourism season.
The tribe also said a new facility would bring in more than the current revenue generated by the Ojibwa Casino II, currently 2 percent for the local community and 8 percent received by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.
