December 23rd, 2010 – by Glen Farmer
The Bay Mills Indians have stated that they are prepared to defend themselves in federal court against the lawsuits that are set to attempt to close down the new casino on Michigan’s lower Peninsula.
The Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians had issued a statement Wednesday in an effort to shut down the casino that opened in November in Vanderbilt. These opponents have made the claim that the casino, due to it being located off of the Bay Mills reservation, is illegal and should not remain open.
The Odawa are seeking to have the casino and its 40 slot machines shut down. The Michigan attorney general’s office sued Tuesday in order to close the casino down, and now the Odawa are filing suit in order to shut down the casino.
The Bay Mills Indians have disagreed, stating that the casino can legally operate in its current location, despite being off of the reservation.
The state and opposing tribes feel that the casino is not legally authorized under state or federal law.