Displaying items by tag: MatchEBeNashSheWish Band of Pottawatomi Indians

In mid March of this year, all 24 of Michigan’s tribally operated casinos fell silent, their more than 22,280 slot machines spitting out their final paydays for lucky patrons or taking one last injection of cash for the house.

GRAND RAPIDS — A federal contracting firm owned by Waséyabek Development Co. LLC has begun work on a five-year, $161 million contract with the Department of Energy to provide site operations and support services at three National Energy Technology Laboratory locations. 

This is the MiBiz growth report for April 12, 2020.

Michigan’s 12 federally recognized Native American tribes have been awarded $4.5 million in block grants for affordable housing activities to protect the health and safety of their tribal citizens during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Twelve Michigan-based Native American tribes will receive nearly $15 million in federal grants to support affordable housing for their communities. 

Michigan officials are still months away from finalizing rules on internet gaming and sports betting, but some Michigan-based Native American tribes are taking early steps to participate in the newly legalized industry. 

More than a decade ago, Grand Rapids business leaders lobbied hard to block the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians, known locally as the Gun Lake Tribe, from opening a casino near Wayland. 

Groups like 23 is Enough and MichGO drove the narrative that any casino development south of Grand Rapids would “siphon off” jobs and investment from the city’s then-rebuilding downtown, limiting growth in entertainment options and economic opportunity alike. They cited a study commissioned by the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce in the early 2000s that estimated $880 million of “economic hemorrhaging” in the surrounding counties if Gun Lake Casino were ever allowed to move forward. 

Looking around downtown Grand Rapids today, it’s hard to find evidence that their worst fears were in any way realized. 

GRAND RAPIDS — Tribally owned Gun Lake Investments and Waséyabek Development Co. have jointly acquired McKay Tower in downtown Grand Rapids, MiBiz has learned.

WAYLAND — A 72,000-square-foot expansion at Gun Lake Casino will allow the operation to grow its gaming, restaurant and entertainment options. 

Native American tribes that want to participate in Michigan’s fledgling cannabis industry face many bureaucratic hurdles.