LANSING -- Michigan's Attorney General is taking steps to stop plans by a northern Michigan Indian tribe to bring the one armed bandits to Lansing.
The Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians wants to build the 245-million-dollar casino east of the Lansing Center.
Michigan's Attorney General Bill Schuette is against the plan and believes it is illegal. In a letter to the Acting Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs, Schuette wrote:
"We have advised both the City and the Tribe that opening the tribal casino as proposed more than 150 miles from the Tribe's reservation lands is a violation of both state and federal law, as well as the tribal-state compact between the State and the Tribe. Despite this warning, it appears that the Tribe and the City intend to pursue this project; we learned recently that the Tribe conducted a referendum of its eligible voters who voted in favor of proceeding with the Lansing Casino project."
The Tribe says the project would create 22-hundred jobs for the area. Lansing's Mayor. Virg Bernero, approves of the casino. He has said it would improve the viability of the city's Convention Center and fund scholarships for Lansing students.
Mayor Bernero issued this response to the Attorney General's letter:
"The Attorney General is entitled to his opinion, but of course we respectfully disagree with him. Along with our partners in the Sault Tribe, we will continue to vigorously pursue our plans to establish a casino in Lansing, which will bring millions of dollars in new investment and thousands of new jobs to the region."
To read the full letter from the Michigan Attorney General's Office to the Acting Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs click here.
