Legal bills mounting for city in Fond du Lac Band gaming case

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

City council members in Duluth, Minnesota, are questioning the amount of money being spent on a lawsuit over a gaming agreement with the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians.

The city has spent nearly a half million dollars on a lawsuit to force the tribe to share revenues from the Fond-du-Luth Casino. Much of the money has gone to an outside firm -- Maki & Overum -- which negotiated the gaming agreement 25 years ago.

“We could have hired two staff attorneys to work on nothing but this case, and we’d still be ahead,” council member Jim Stauber said at a meeting, The Duluth News Tribune reported. “Plus, we would have that expertise in house.”

A federal judge has already ordered the tribe to pay the money. But the tribe contends the agreement violates the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.

The case is City of Duluth v. Fond du Lac Band.

Get the Story:
Council doesn't OK money to back fight with casino (The Duluth News Tribune 10/12)
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