Sault Ste. Marie, Mi...After spending hundreds of millions of dollars on diversifying its businesses, the Sault Tribe still owns only five casinos here in the Upper Peninsula and its two Midjims. All of them are located on trust land where the tribe enjoys tax relief and monopoly advantages.
Bay Mills nearby...already the owner of a college, a golf course, a marina, a plastic's factory, a Midjim, two casinos, conventions centers and bars and restaurants...is moving on and leading the way again in the state's gaming business. Last year it purchased a tract of land in Vanderbilt, Michigan with land claim's money and built a small casino on it. This month it will open an expansion to it, bringing in additional gaming opportunities to the area.
Bay Mills...has it figure it out. The gaming business has changed in the state. It's not the new, budding, fledgling business it once was. It's now an old, established business that the state has become dependent upon for tax revenue and jobs. And now with the state's economy being in the desperate straits that it is, it's a completely different ballgame. The Bay Mills Tribe did its homework and got all of its ducks in a row and, acting on its own and using its own money, went for it; they're timing was perfect and the odds are on their side that they will succeed.
The Sault Tribe...bringing up the rear again, having spent all of its land claim's money directly or indirectly on Greektown, went through some kind of financial maneuver last year to come up with the several hundred thousand dollars to buy the acreage in New Boston with land's claims money. It might have plans (top secret) to build a casino on it after its lawyers get all of the tribe's paperwork in order. And now with the new corporation Michigan Gaming Ltd. having been formed (top secret), who knows, it may build a casino there (top secret)after it gets its hands on somebody else's money...
...will it build a casino on it if it finds an investor with the money, likely? Will it build a casino there using it's own money, unlikely? Will the tribe's management do any of the work other than sign the papers and pose for pictures, very unlikely...after all they're all part timers, where would they find the time to do it...and........
...and, the Sault Tribe doesn't have a history of doing anything on its own.
Thank you, Charles Forgrave
2 comments:
It is more than just plain 'bad business sense'. The immature, all consuming, political games played by our power monger leaders is the main reason we have failed to move forward as a tribe. While in power BB mobilized all resources to keep him in control. When AP became chair he wasted all his time on his political attacks on BB. AP failed to realize that he had won the chair and it was time to move forward. These two are just examples. The rest of the board are more focused on keeping themselves in power and playing their political games. No one is paying attention to the needs of the members. Baymills has thier fare share of politics, but for the most part have kept their vision intact, that of moving their tribe forward.
All I can say is we can't get anymore out of Jerry Campbell than you from your board.
The Thoroughbred Horsemen/Women would like to know what the hell is going on as well. You stated it as well as I would of. Everything is a BIG SECRET! And it's way beyond tiresome.
And don't even get me started on the MGCB.
Shush, don't tell anybody!!!
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