Aaron Payment, the chairman of the
Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of
Chippewa Indians in Michigan, offers tribal perspective on off-reservation gaming plans:
A Free Press story last month about our proposed casino in Huron Township correctly noted our legal right to take the land into trust for the benefit of our members.
Given that the story focused on the business “track record” of our Tribe and our partner, I would ask why the Free Press failed to report that the Sault Tribe has successfully owned and operated casinos in northern Michigan since the mid-1980s? That is a fact and also an important part of our business track record.
In addition, the story referenced a letter from former U.S. Rep. Dale Kildee of Flint, who said he “would have never approved” our 1997 Land Claim Settlement Act (LCSA) if he knew it might lead to a new Sault Tribe casino.
We were saddened to learn of this letter from Kildee. He has been an ardent supporter of Native American people for many decades. But Kildee is no longer in Congress.
Get the Story:
Aaron Payment: Sault Tribe report missed several points
(The Detroit News 8/17)
Related Stories:
Editorial: Put a stop to off-reservation
gaming plans in Michigan (8/15)
Soo Tribe casino
partner was developer behind failed racetrack (07/28)