Gun Lake Tribe opens doors to $76M expansion of gaming facility

Wednesday, May 3, 2017

Tribal veterans help the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians debut an expansion at the Gun Lake Casino in Wayland, Michigan, on May 3, 2017. Photo: Gun Lake Casino

The Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians, also known as the Gun Lake Tribe, celebrated the grand opening of its expanded casino in Michigan.

The Gun Lake Casino is now nearly double in size. The $76 million project includes a new buffet and a larger entertainment venue, along with more slot machines and table games. Another bar is slated to open in late summer or early fall.

"We're thankful to the community, our guests, and over 900 team members, who have supported Gun Lake Casino over the years and have made it what it is today," Chairman Scott Sprague said in a press release on Wednesday.

The opening ceremony came two days after the U.S. Supreme Court announced it will hear a long-running lawsuit that challenges the status of the casino. The Patchak v. Zinke case will determine whether Congress can protect tribal homelands from litigation.

Arguments have yet to be scheduled but the tribe has said it is eager to defend S.1603, the Gun Lake Trust Land Reaffirmation Act. The law confirmed that the casino site is in trust and ordered the federal courts to dismiss the Patchak lawsuit.

Read More on the Story:
Gun Lake Casino opens $76M expansion to eager gamblers and diners (MLive 5/3)
Gun Lake Casino unveils expansion; new bar and buffet (Fox17 5/3)
Gun Lake Casino cuts ribbon on $76 million expansion (WWMT 5/3)
Gun lake Casino opens expansion (Allegan News 5/3)

D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals Decision:
Patchak v. Jewell (July 15, 2016)

U.S. Supreme Court Decision:
Patchak v. Jewell (June 18, 2012)

Prior D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals Decision:
Patchak v. Salazar (January 21, 2011)

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Gun Lake Tribe eager to defend casino in Supreme Court challenge (May 2, 2017)Supreme Court brings bad news to tribes by taking up land case (May 1, 2017)
Gun Lake Tribe prepares for grand opening of casino expansion (April 28, 2017)
Supreme Court relists petition in Gun Lake Tribe gaming land case (April 25, 2017)
Supreme Court takes no action on long-running tribal land case (April 24, 2017)
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Federal appeals court backs Gun Lake Tribe land-into-trust law (July 15, 2016)