Local hopes for downstate casinos blocked in Washington

New setbacks have at least temporarily stymied two Eastern Upper Peninsula tribes that want to parlay long-sought land settlements into major new casino complexes in Lower Michigan.

The U.S. House of Representatives today defeated legislation that would have compensated the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians and the Bay Mills Indian Community for land they argue was taken from their ancestors over a century ago.

One proposed settlement would have created new "Indian trust land" for the Sault Tribe in Romulus (suburban Detroit) where plans are in place for a new $300-million casino/hotel operation.

A similar agreement would have cleared the way for Bay Mills to proceed with a multi-million-dollar gaming venture in Port Huron.

The Indian Gaming and Regulatory Act allows the creation of land trusts - sometimes far from tribes’ home locations - to resolve longstanding disputes.

When land trusts are successfully concluded, tribes give up existing claims.

The local tribes’ intentions to open off-reserve downstate casinos - which proponents say would create over 6,000 new jobs - are opposed by those who don’t want more competition for established casinos.

Following today’s vote, the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians issued the following news release.

************************* 120-year-old illegal land taking left unresolved by U.S. House vote

SAULT STE. MARIE, MICH - This statement is from Chairperson Aaron Payment of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians.

He is commenting on the U.S. House of Representatives’ vote on H.R. 2176, a bill that would have settled a 120-year-old illegal land taking from ancestors of the Sault Tribe and Bay Mills Indian Community.

The bill was defeated on the House floor today.

“Obviously, the Sault Tribe is disappointed by the U.S. House of Representatives’ action today. We want to thank the bipartisan group of U.S. Representatives (as well as Members Stupak, Dingell, Kildee, Miller, Rahall, and Young) and organized labor groups who have been fighting to pass this historic piece of legislation that would have ended a sad chapter in Michigan’s history and created more than 6,000 good jobs.

“Though our efforts have not succeeded at this point, this is the farthest we have traveled on our bill to settle our century old land claim and to pursue an Indian casino in Romulus. I was deeply disappointed to hear the testimony during debate on our bill and Bay Mills’ bill from former Chairperson Bernard Bouschor as quoted from Shelley Berkley (D-Nevada) 1st Congressional District saying, ‘The chairman from their own tribe (Bernard Bouschor) called it a scam!’ We will continue to fight to resolve this illegal land taking and bring thousands of much-needed jobs to our state.”

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