The governor for the American state of Michigan has reportedly asked the United States Department of the Interior to promptly decide on whether it intends to grant federal recognition to the Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians.
According to a Tuesday report from local television broadcaster WXMI-TV, the move from Gretchen Whitmer (pictured) comes as the federal government is set to rule on the request from the Muskegon County tribe on or before October 12. However, the Democratic governor is purportedly facing an earlier June 16 deadline on an off-reservation casino proposition the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians wants to realize for Fruitport Township.
Enlightened judgement:
Whitmer reportedly sent a letter to United States Secretary of the Interior Debra Haaland early last week detailing that the conflicting deadlines are preventing her administration from being able to make an informed decision concerning the casino proposal from the federally-recognized Little River Band of Ottawa Indians. The 50-year-old governor purportedly does not want to okay this scheme and then be faced with the prospect of having to sanction a nearby gambling-friendly facility from the Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians.
“My concurrence with the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians’ two-part determination could frustrate the Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians, which may wish to open its own gaming facility on tribal lands not far from Fruitport Township. Yet the United States Department of the Interior has not provided any information on how likely it is that the Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians will be acknowledged.”
Transferable target:
Whitmer reportedly went on to declare that the United States Department of the Interior’s October 12 deadline would come ‘four months too late to enable an informed decision’ regarding the proposed casino project from the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians. The first-term governor purportedly went on to ask the federal government to issue a final federal recognition ruling on the Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians by the first day of next month or allow her administration to extend the looming June 16 cut-off date.
WXMI-TV reported that Whitmer has offered little insight into her opinion on the envisioned project from the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians although she did ask the federal government for a one-off six-month extension in December so as to be able to better consider the scheme. The tribe is purportedly hoping to open a venue on 86 acres of Muskegon County land it purchased in 2007 featuring a 220-room hotel, conference spaces and a 70,000 sq ft casino complete with a selection of some 1,700 slots and 35 gaming tables.
Ascending anxiety:
For his part and the Chairman for the Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians, Rob Yob, reportedly applauded Whitmer’s letter but admitted to being worried about the plan from the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians to bring an off-reservation tribal casino to Muskegon County.
“Our tribal citizens desperately need the resources afforded to federally-recognized tribes such as healthcare, housing and education. However, I am deeply concerned and disappointed that another tribe is attempting to pressure the governor into giving away some of our homelands in order to build an off-reservation casino on the treaty lands of our tribe. This is morally wrong and unjust and we call on Governor Whitmer to reject this cynical effort.”
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