Local businesses see benefit from Bay Mills off-reservation casino

Wednesday, January 5, 2011  

The Bay Mills Indian Community has angered other tribes and the state of Michigan with its off-reservation casino but some local businesses are welcoming the development.

Chris Young has seen an increase in business at his Ugly Bar & Grill. “This little casino really helps out,” Young told The Gaylord Herald Times.

Denise Basuin, the owner of the D&D Interstate convenience store and gas station, says more people are stopping by. "Every little bit helps. We hope to see a big difference if they expand like the talk we’ve been hearing," Basuin told the paper.

The tribe opened the 1,200 square-foot casino with 38 slot machines on November 3. The tribe has already started work on a 1,400 square-foot expansion that will bring another 40 machines to the facility.

The casino is located on 45 acres in Vanderbilt. The land does not qualify for gaming under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, according to an opinion issued by the National Indian Gaming Commission and a letter from the Interior Department

The Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians has filed a lawsuit in federal court in hopes of closing the casino. Michigan attorney general Mike Cox warned the tribe of litigation in a recent letter.

Get the Story:
'This little casino really helps out' (The Gaylord Herald Times 1/5)

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