Little River Band announces departure of casino general manager

Thursday, April 2, 2015

A view of the Little River Casino Resort. Photo from Facebook

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The Little River Band of Ottawa Indians of Michigan is saying goodbye to its casino manager.

Wendell Long will be leaving his post at the Little River Casino Resort at the end of this month. He's been with the tribe since March 2013.

"I will miss all of the great employees at Little River, but I believe that we have achieved the many goals we set out for ourselves when we first came to Little River," Long said in a press release, The Muskegon Chronicle reported.

Long, a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, helped the tribe win the Casino of the Year award in 2014 as the facility celebrated its 15th anniversary. He also started work on a proposed off-reservation casino in Fruitport Township.

"We're quite proud of Wendell's term here at Little River. What he did and what he set in motion bodes well for the future of our Fruitport Casino," spokesperson Glenn Zaring told the paper.

Artist's rendering of proposed off-reservation casino in Fruitport Township, Michigan. Image from Little River Band

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The tribe is pursuing the $180 million casino under the two-part determination process of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. If the Bureau of Indian Affairs approves, the state governor will have veto authority.

The land-into-trust application for the 60-acre site -- located about 80 miles from the reservation -- was submitted in February. The tribe anticipates a long wait for a final decision on the project.

As for Long, he will be serving as the new CEO of the Snoqualmie Casino, owned by the Snoqualmie Tribe of Washington.

Get the Story:
Little River Casino manager departs after paving way for proposed Muskegon County location (The Muskegon Chronicle 4/2) Related Stories:
Opinion: Bad gamble on Little River Band off-reservation casino (03/18)
Interview with Little River Band leader on off-reservation casino (3/16)
Editorial: Little River Band casino could bring economic boost (03/11)
Little River Band expects wait for $180M off-reservation casino (02/26)
Little River Band submits application for off-reservation casino (2/24)