Richard "Dick" Cummings, president (lobbyist) of the Michigan Machinists Council, is one of the cast of characters recruited by Team Ilitch to support their casino expansion plans. In exchange for his assistance, they've represented they'll allow unions in their casinos. Among other things, they took him to Washington D.C. in 2004 to testify before Congress.
At a November 2006 Port Huron City Council meeting, the Times Herald newspaper quotes Cummings as saying,
"I'm no genius, but I can do the math," Cummings said. "Well, no one builds a casino for $10 million. You don't build the parking garage for that. Malik and the Ilitches have spent more than $10 million just in legal fees." Dick Cummings (Team Ilitch Surrogate)
Michael Malik also spoke at that Council meeting and was present during Cummings' comments. Malik did not refute or make any corrections to Cummings' claims.
The Bay Mills Indian Community (Brimley, MI) has asserted land claims over various property in Michigan including approximatey 110 acres in the Charlotte Beach community. In 2002, the Bay Mills Indians concluded a settlement agreement with then Governor John Engler over these land claims which would allow them to build a casino in Port Huron, 350 miles away from their current reservation lands, in exchange for relinquishing any claims to the 100+ acres in Charlotte Beach. Six months after negotiating that agreement, Team Ilitch has retained the Governor's former negotiator, R. Lance Boldrey, as their attorney.
The agreement needs Congressional approval. More than six bills have been introduced in Congress since 1999 on this matter -- most recenly H.R. 831 by Congresswoman Candice Miller (MI-10th) who has taken in more than $74,000 from Team Ilitch since introducing the bill. Team Ilitch and the Bay Mills Indians have paid D.C. lobbyists close to $1.5 million to push their proposals since 2002. However, little real progress has been made on Capitol Hill.
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