New investors dispute Sault Tribe's interest in Detroit casino

Thursday, June 17, 2010  

The Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians never owned part of the land where the Greektown Casino Hotel in Detroit, Michigan, is located, according to the new investors of the property.

The tribe was a majority owner of the casino, which is in the final stages of bankruptcy proceedings. A letter from Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Michigan) said the federal government accepted 0.76 acres of the casino site in trust for the tribe.

But the new investors dispute the assertion in a new letter to the Obama administration. They say the tribe never had ownership of the land and that a former chairman gave up any claims to the land anyway.

Stupak's letter was sent to the Justice Department and the Interior Department. A spokesperson for the Bureau of Indian Affairs said the letter was being reviewed.

Get the Story:
Greektown Casino investors reject tribe's claim to land (The Detroit News 6/17)
Lawyer: Stupak's letter shouldn't delay casino's reorganization (The Detroit Free Press 6/17)

Related Stories:
Sault Tribe seeks clarification on status of Detroit casino site (6/11)