The White Earth Nation of Minnesota, owners of the Shooting Star Casino in Mahnomen, broke ground on a second location last November and a third casino is in the planning stages. But when the Shooting Star opened in May 1992, former Tribal Chairwoman Erma Vizenor said the tribe was million in debt and was involved in a long battle with Gaming World, which financed the facility and was managing it under a disputed agreement. Gaming World claimed million in revenue from the operation, Vizenor said. “The tribe was on the brink of bankruptcy,” said Vizenor, who was the tribal secretary-treasurer at the time.
Years of litigation in tribal, state and federal court commenced in August 1996 after the tribe terminated its agreement with Gaming World. In December 2011, the tribal court issued an $18.5 million judgment against the company, and the state court upheld the decision. “Justice has finally come to White Earth on behalf of our people,” Vizenor, who by then was tribal chairwoman, said at the time. Recently, she stated, “We went from 300 to over 750 well-paid employees. I say that’s growth.”
Vizenor resigned her post last month after facing opposition from her colleagues. She said she plans to run for secretary-treasurer in two years.
