Fond du Lac Band reaches agreement in long-running casino feud

Wednesday, June 8, 2016

The Fond du Lac Band owns and operates the Fond-du-Luth Casino in Duluth, Minnesota. Photo from Facebook

>
The Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians is hoping a new agreement will settle a long-running gaming dispute with the city of Duluth, Minnesota.

The tribe will pay $150,000 a year to address operations at the Fond-du-Luth Casino, according to news reports. The agreement calls for additional payments in the event a hotel or motel opens at or near the site.

The amount is far less than the $6 million that the tribe was paying a year to the city. But that revenue sharing arrangement violated the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, a decision upheld in numerous federal court rulings.

The agreement is subject to approval by the city council. News reports did not say whether it requires the city to drop its lawsuits, including one that was heard by the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals on April 7.

Get the Story:
City of Duluth, Fond du Lac Band poised to settle years of legal battles (The Duluth News Tribune 6/8)
Duluth, Fond du Lac Band Begin 'New Relationship' after 7-Year Dispute (WDIO 6/8)
City of Duluth, Fond du Lac Band announce 'new relationship' (NNCNOW.Com 6/8)
City, Fond du Lac Band slated to announce agreement (The Duluth News Tribune 6/7) $P D.C. Federal Court Decision:
Duluth v. National Indian Gaming Commission (March 31, 2015)

8th Circuit Court of Appeals Decisions:
Duluth v. Fond Du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa (May 8, 2015)
City of Duluth v. Fond Du Lac Band (January 14, 2013)

Related Stories:
Fond du Lac Band won't confirm plan for site adjacent to casino (04/27)
Fond du Lac Band almost finished with $6.2M casino upgrade (08/14)
Donna Ennis: City lynches Fond du Lac Band in gaming dispute (8/10)
Fond du Lac Band wants to resolve long-running gaming fight (8/3)
Fond du Lac Band prevails yet again in long-running casino feud (7/29)
City tries to lower litigation costs in Fond du Lac Band casino case (06/05)
City submits appeal in gaming dispute with Fond du Lac Band (6/2)
Mayoral candidate embraces Fond du Lac Band urban casino (05/19)
Fond du Lac Band prevails again in long-running casino case (05/08)
Fond du Lac Band spars with city over services for urban casino (04/15)
Fond du Lac Band faces more court battles with city over casino (04/02)
City loses yet another ruling in Fond du Lac Band casino dispute (4/1)
Fond du Lac Band plans to spend $5.5M on casino renovations (3/23)