LANSING, Mich. — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has asked the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) to promptly rule on a West Michigan tribe’s federal status so she can make an informed decision on whether to approve another area tribe’s request for a casino in Muskegon County.
The DOI is considering whether to acknowledge the Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians.
It’s currently scheduled to issue a proposed finding on the matter on or before Oct. 12.
In a letter written to Sec. Debra Haaland on Monday, Whitmer said DOI’s deadline creates a conflict with an upcoming deadline faced by her administration.
Whitmer must decide whether to grant a proposed casino project the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians wants to build in Fruitport Township by June 16.
“My concurrence with the Little River Band’s two-part determination could frustrate the Grand River Bands, which may wish to open their own gaming facility on tribal lands not far from Fruitport Township,” said Whitmer. “Yet DOI has not provided any information on how likely it is that the Grand River Bands will be acknowledged.”
Whitmer went on to call DOI’s deadline “four months too late to enable an informed decision about whether to concur with the Little River Band’s two-part determination.”
She asked that DOI issue a proposed finding on whether to acknowledge the Grand River Bands no later than June 1.
If that’s not possible, she asked DOI to extend the June 16 deadline until after it has issued a preliminary decision on the Grand River Bands.
Until now, Whitmer has offered little insight into her thoughts on Little River Band’s proposed casino.
In December, she asked DOI for a one-time, six-month extension to further consider the project, which was granted.
Grand River Bands’ chairman, Rob Yob, applauded Whitmer’s letter in a statement but said it continues to worry about Little River Band’s plans for the area.
“Our tribal citizens desperately need the resources afforded to federally recognized tribes such as healthcare, housing and education,” said Yob.
He added, “However, I am deeply concerned and disappointed that another tribe is attempting to pressure the governor to give 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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