January 24th, 2011 – by Glen Farmer
According to reports issued by the Associated Press, a federal appeals court has revived a lawsuit that challenges the establishment of a new casino in the southwestern part of Michigan.
The announcement that the case would be heard coincided with the date the tribe announced would be the casino’s opening date.
Whether or not the casino is going to stay open is currently a source of wonder. The court said that the initial plaintiff, David Patchak, is entitled to challenge the methods employed by the federal government when placing the land in trust for the Gun Lake Tribe of Pottawatomi Indians.
The casino is set to open February 11th. It will be 20 miles south of Grand Rapids in the Wayland Township. According to preliminary reports, the casino will employ approximately 700 people, offer 1,450 slot machines, table games, and even entertainment events.
Opponents feel that they have can have the casino shut down, while the tribe’s spokeperson feels that the casino will definitively open. The issue stems over a 1934 federal law that allows the government to put land in trust for use by Indian tribes, but that the tribe in question was not federally recognized until after 1934. Opponents to the casino are hoping to have it shut down.