WASHINGTON D.C. — The $180 million proposed casino project on the former site of the Great Lakes Downs harness racing track will move forward step, followed by a public comment period, the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians announced Friday.
The site is at the junction I-96 and US-31 in Fruitport Township.
The next step is the filing of a Final Environmental Impact Statement by the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs. This step is one of several in the process where the BIA sets aside the 60-acre site in trust. A public comment period is next before the federal government makes a decision on the trust application, which was first filed in 2015, said the tribe in a release.
The tribe claims the project will generate 1,500 construction jobs and 1,500 casino jobs.
In addition to the casino, the tribe plans a 220-room hotel with entertainment and meeting spaces.
