Former Soo Tribe chairman seeks referendum on gaming plans

Thursday, March 1, 2012  

Aaron Payment, the former chairman of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Michigan, is seeking a referendum on a proposed off-reservation casino.

Payment supports the Kewadin Lansing Casino in Lansing. But he wants tribal members to decide what to do with the gaming revenues.

“We just need a better proposal,” Payment said at a tribal meeting, The Lansing City Pulse reported.

Talk of a referendum worries current Chairman Joe Eitrem. He said tribal members could vote down the project entirely.

“We worked on this for over a year, hundreds of hours. I have concerns they’re going to send it out to a referendum and aren’t familiar with it. I’m scared it may get turned down," Eitrem told tribal members.

Get the Story:
Casino referendum brewing (The Lansing City Pulse 2/29)
Taxpayers Speak Out Against Casino At Community Hearing (WLNS-TV 3/1)

Related Stories:
Board backs Sault Tribe off-reservation gaming agreement (2/23)