Opinion

Editorial: Don't give up on Bay Mills off-reservation casino bid

Thursday, March 31, 2011

"A court injunction that forced Vanderbilt's casino to close Tuesday is a blow to the Bay Mills Indian Community -- and Port Huron. Those who believe this is the end of the matter, though, are kidding themselves.

It is unlikely the plaintiffs or defendants in this court case expected the federal district court decision to be the last word. Bay Mills appears to have gotten into this dispute for the long run.

The Vanderbilt casino, a modest operation in northern Michigan, was a test for Bay Mills' intention to build a more substantial gambling facility in Port Huron.

At issue, of course, is the Indian community's right to operate a casino -- in Vanderbilt or Port Huron -- without meeting the requirements that regulate and sanction Indian-run casinos in Michigan. Bay Mills' northern Michigan operation wasn't on Indian land as recognized by state government -- and it brought a court challenge from the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians and the state attorney general, who filed federal suits in December that demanded the casino shut down."

Get the Story:
Editorial: Bay Mills bid for city casino hasn't ended (The Port Huron Times Herald 3/31)

District Court Decision:
Michigan v. Bay Mills Indian Community (March 29, 2011)