Delvin Cree: Turtle Mountain leaders bet too much on gaming

Wednesday, August 31, 2011  

"In the fall of 2012, right before our next tribal elections, the expansion of our casino and hotel should be completed. This new venture by our tribal council is hoped to add more jobs in the community and also bring in more revenue.

This all sounds great for those who think the plan will work. These same individuals also are guessing that the development of more hotel rooms, casino playing areas and dining accommodations will bring in larger crowds of people from all over.

But I’m worried, especially about the outlook for the expanded facilities.

The Turtle Mountain Tribal Council approved a $30 million loan package to pay for this project; with interest, the tribe will owe much more than the $30 million it borrowed. So, this project is going to put the tribe in debt for quite some time."

Get the Story:
Delvin Cree: Tribal council bets too heavily on casino (The Grand Forks Herald 8/31)