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Little Traverse Bay Bands lose vote for Class III gaming at site

Monday, October 26, 2015


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The Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians will go with Class II gaming at its new facility in Michigan.

The village of Mackinaw City voted 4-3 against Class III gaming at the site. But local approval isn't needed for Class II devices and patrons may not notice much of a difference.

"It's just a different math model," Eric McLester, the general manager of the Odawa Casino Resort in Petoskey, about 37 miles away, told MLive. "You'll still hit a button and it will accept club cards."

By going with Class II games, the tribe won't have to share revenues with the community Plans call for a 56,000 square-foot structure with about 64 gaming machines at the site.

The tribe could break ground next month. The site -- which is already in trust -- used to house the shuttered Thunder Falls Family Water Park.

Get the Story:
Law allows different gaming facilities provided by tribe (The Petoskey News-Review 10/24)
Casino plans scaled back after Mackinaw City rejection vote (MLive 10/22)
LTBB Plans to Move Forward with Class II Casino In Mackinaw City (9 and 10 News 10/19)
Mackinaw denies class III casino 4-3 (The Cheboygan Daily Tribune 10/17)
Mackinaw City turns down Class III casino (The Petoskey News-Review 10/16) Related Stories:
Little Traverse Bay Bands want to break ground soon on casino (10/12)
Little Traverse Bay Bands consider Class II for second casino (10/06)
Little Traverse Bay Bands plan new development at old casino (08/27)
Little Traverse Bay Bands still working on plans for another casino (07/07)
Little Traverse Bay Bands to spend $2.5M on new gaming site (6/26)
Little Traverse Bay Bands revive plan for second gaming facility (6/24)