The Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians faces a November 1 deadline to acquire land for an off-reservation casino in Lansing, Michigan.
The tribe, the city and developers have been working on a deal for several months. Attorney John Wernet told Michigan Radio that the partners are “on track to close on the purchase by November 1, though the amount of work….is a bit daunting.” The site in downtown Lansing is being purchased with funds from the Michigan Indian Land Claims Settlement Act. As a result, the tribe believes the Bureau of Indian Affairs will be required to place the land in trust. Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette has already filed a lawsuit in hopes of stopping the project. Get the Story: