The Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians has introduced plans to determine a gaming facility in Benzonia, Michigan. The brand new venue, situated on tribal belief land, is predicted to carry financial progress and new employment alternatives to the area.
The gaming facility will probably be housed on the tribe’s group heart, located at 7282 Hoadley Highway in Benzonia. In accordance with a press launch on the tribe’s web site, the event goals to stimulate the native economic system whereas addressing employment wants inside the group.
Throughout a presentation on the Benzie County Board of Commissioners assembly on November 26, tribal consultant John Petoskey outlined the undertaking. “What the tribe wish to do is to open a gaming facility on Hoadley Highway simply down the road from the Wesco fuel station,” Petoskey defined in response to The Benzie County Document Patriot. He added that the tribe submitted notification of the undertaking to the Nationwide Indian Gaming Fee (NIGC) and the Workplace of Indian Gaming in the course of the summer time of 2023.
Regulatory and Authorized Framework
Petoskey detailed the authorized foundation for the event, stating, “Within the view of the tribe, this website is eligible for gaming below the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act below what’s generally known as the restored land exception to the specific prohibition of gaming after 1988.” This authorized precedent mirrors the argument efficiently used for the tribe’s Turtle Creek On line casino.
State officers have been notified, and federal regulators got a 120-day interval to lift objections. “At this level, they haven’t raised objections, so our inner gaming fee on the Grand Traverse Band issued a gaming license on November 21,” mentioned Petoskey.
The tribe reached out to Benzie County officers to make sure native authorities had been knowledgeable and ready to deal with public questions concerning the undertaking.
Facility Options and Group Affect
The deliberate gaming facility will characteristic a mixture of slot machines and desk video games. Renovations to the tribal heart have already commenced, together with architectural and electrical updates to arrange the location for gaming operations. Moreover, expanded parking amenities could also be added if customer demand warrants it.
Petoskey famous that the undertaking would create between 20 and 50 jobs, offering much-needed employment alternatives within the space. The renovations and preparations are progressing shortly, with the power anticipated to open inside two months.
The tribe views this enterprise as a big financial initiative. “The ability will create much-needed new employment alternatives and stimulate financial progress for the tribe and for the local people,” reads the official assertion from the Grand Traverse Band. Along with the gaming operations, the property additionally features a housing growth, additional contributing to the group’s infrastructure.
