November 6th, 2010 – by Glen Farmer
A new casino has recently opened in Northern Michigan, and it is not without some controversy. The legalities of where tribes are entitled to open new casinos has now fallen under fire.
The new casino in Vanderbilt is set to bring state officials together to discuss the issue with Bay Mills officials. The governor’s administration has stated that they are “deeply concerned” with the opening of the casino due to part of it being off the reservation.
The new casino may be shut down due to the stipulation.
The casino’s competition has stated that it is in violation of federal law, and that the Michigan gaming compacts require consent from all tribes in the state to operate casinos off of reservation land.
This part of the casino is said to hold roughly 40 slot machines. Free drinks are also being offered to active gamblers. Well drinks, wine, and domestic beers are all set to be on the house to those who are gambling.
Though Michigan is not at the fore front of casino gambling expansion, development of casinos has been considered by the tribe’s many states. Casinos outside of the nation’s most popular gambling hubs, Atlantic City and Las Vegas, have been proving fairly successful when compared to the dismal state of affairs in many casinos in those two major gambling hubs.