Saturday, December 09, 2006

Ilitch guilty of "champerty?" the Big Lagoon Rancheria example

Main Entry: cham·per·ty
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): -es
Etymology: Middle English champartie, modification (probably influenced by Middle English partie part) of Middle French champart field rent, from champ field (from Latin campus) + part portion
: a proceeding, illegal in many jurisdictions, by which a person not a party in a suit bargains to aid in or carry on its prosecution or defense by furnishing money or personal services in consideration of his receiving a share of the matter in suit : maintenance with the addition of an agreement to divide the thing in suit


A Forbes' writer has suggested casino syndicators like Marian Ilitch and Michael J. Malik, are guilty of "champerty:" Is she, or isn't she? You be the judge.

For almost a decade, Marian Ilitch and her friends have been bankrolling disingenuous lawsuits, land claims, and other skirmishes intended to provide leverage for their true objectives:

  • Win the exclusive rights to develop and manage extremely lucrative Indian Casinos and resorts off existing reservation lands in locations that have greater marketing value.
Currently Ilitch, Michael Malik and their various casino syndicates are at work in Michigan (Port Huron), New York (Southampton/Shinnecock Hills) and California (Barstow). In each situation they’ve either encouraged or resuscitated these disingenuous “loss leaders” in order to facilitate or leverage negotiations for casinos or at worst case share in any favorable settlement or judgement the tribes might realize -- as if lawsuits were the new stocks and bonds.

Case in point:

07.28.05
NorthCoastJournal,Big Lagoon Rancheria’s casino
dream awakens

by Heidi Walters

“For 10 years the Big Lagoon Rancheria has battled with the state of California over the tribe's plans to build a casino at Big Lagoon. The main sticking point has been the state's contention that a casino at Big Lagoon would be an environmentally unsound endeavor, given that the lagoon is an ecological preserve and home to three species listed under the federal Endangered Species Act. The tribe disagrees with the state's assessment, and in 1999 sued the state for "bad faith" negotiating. . .

“But now it looks as if the lawsuit could go away and the rancheria might get to build its casino -- 700 miles south, in the desert town of Barstow. But don't cry for the rancheria. The deal, which would be part of a settlement agreement in which the tribe agrees to not build anything commercial on its Big Lagoon tribal lands, could yield profits for the 18 family members of the rancheria that are far above those anticipated from the original Big Lagoon project. After all, 60 million people a year drive through Barstow, many already
primed for gambling as they travel I-15 to Las Vegas. . .”

http://www.northcoastjournal.com/072805/news0728.html

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certainly must reads!

Ilitch has backed loosing sports teams and pizza, but casinos in Detroit? Forbes.com 10.09.06 ● Marian Ilitch #1 on "25 Most Powerful People" to Watch 2006” global gaming business o1.oo.o5 ● My Kingdom for a Casino Forbes 05.08.06 ● Big Lagoon’s casino dream awakens north coast journal 07.28.05 ● Shinnecocks launch legal claim to Hamptons land newsday.com 06.16.05 ● Ilitch Plans to Expand Casino Empire RGTonline.com 07.05.05 ● Ilitch outbids partners MichiganDaily.com 04.14.05 ● Ilitch enmeshed in NY casino dispute detnews.com 03.20.05 ● Marian Ilitch, high roller freep.com 03.20.05 ● MGM Mirage to Decide on Offer for Casino in Detroit rgtonline.com 04.16.05 ● Secret deal for MotorCity alleged freep.com 02.15.05 ● Los Coyotes get new developer desertdispatch.com 02.08.05 Detroit casino figure to finance Barstow project LasVegasSun.com 07.07.03 ● Indian Band trying to put casino in Barstow signonSanDiego.com 06.04.03 Pizza matriarch takes on casino roles detnews.com 10.23.02 ● Vanderbilt gets short straw in negotiations for a casino Lansing Journal 10.06.02 ● Indians aim to drive family from tribe in vicious dispute san diego union tribune 04.09.00 ●Malik owns 2000 Michigan Quarter Horse of the Year Michigan.gov 01.01.00 ● Detroit Team to run Michigan’s newest Indian casino detnews.com 05.23.99 Tiger ties tangle Marian Ilitch detnews.com 04.29.99 ● Three investors must sell their Detroit casino interests gamblingmagazine.com 04.25.99 ● Partners’ cash revived election; They say money was crucial to Prop-E detnews.com 04.25.99 Investors have troubled histories las vegas review journal 04.27.99 ● Investor served probation for domestic assault on 12 year old boy detnews.com 04.25.99 Can a pair win a jackpot?: local men hope to... crainsdetroit.com 03.17.97

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