Saturday, January 03, 2009

Michigan Senator listed as "investor" in gambling casino syndication fund

It appears that Michigan State Senator Buzz Thomas (aka Samuel Thomas III) was apparently an investor in Atwater Entertainment Associates LLC (AEA), one of the founding interests – along with Marian Ilitch’s partners and Las Vegas-based Mandalay Resort Group (Circus Circus) – in Detroit’s MotorCity Casino.

Detroiters Herb Strather and Nellie Varner syndicated interests in AEA starting in 1995 in order to raise the capital they needed to push for the legalization of commercial gaming in Michigan (Proposal E – 1996) and lay the foundations for Detroit’s MotorCity Casino. Neither Strather or Varner were able to qualify for Michigan gaming licenses. Thomas, who was born in 1969 (1.28.69), would have been between 25 and 30 years old at the time he originally "invested" in the Atwater venture (AEA).

Thomas was first elected to the Michigan House of Representatives in 1996 and served from 1997 – 2002. He’s represented Michigan’s 4th State Senate District (Detroit proper) since 2003.

In 2003, he introduced Senate Bill 0904 intended to limit the State Lottery’s use of casino-like games. Rather, in 2004, Detroit’s commercial casino interests promoted and passed a statewide ballot measure, Proposal 1, which requires a statewide vote in order to establish any new state lottery games utilizing "table games" or "player operated mechanical or electronic devices." According to the Michigan Campaign Finance Network (mcfn.org), Marian Ilitch, representing MotorCity Casino, contributed $200.000 to support passage of Proposal 1 – at the time she was reportedly that casino’s largest individual shareholder.

Ilitch reportedly bought out the interests of AEA syndicators in 2005 when she acquired majority control in MotorCity Casino from Mandalay Resort Group/MGM Mirage. (MichiganDaily.com: Ilitch Outbids Partners for MotorCity Casino)

According to a Web site set up for AEA investors to enable class-action lawsuits, Atwater Entertainment Associates LLC included entities known as Bay Ventures and BV Atwater. Strather’s wife Vivian Carpenter has served as Resident Agent for all three affiliates.

According to Crain’s Detroit, three-quarters of Atwater “investors” have also “invested” in AtMashpee LLC, another entity Strather syndicated to raise capitol need to bankroll a Cape Cod casino resort plan with the Mashpee Wampanoag Indian tribe of Massachusetts. Strather has also organized AtMashpee Notes LLC.

That tribe’s former chairman, Glenn Marshall, was under federal investigation and has agreed to plea guilty to federal campaign contribution violations and charges of fraud. Various Atwater/AtMashpee investors were identified blindly in the indicment documents. AtMashpee enabled Marshall's wrong doing by dumping $4 million into a hidden fund.

It's not clear whether Sen. Thomas was one of those Atwater investors who also helped to syndicate AtMashpee LLC.

According to a bio presented on Thomas' Web site, he has been:
    Called “A Rising Star” by both the Detroit News and Hotline, one of Michigan’s five “Key Technology Leaders” by the Detroit Free Press, an “Under-40 Political ‘Buzz’ Saw” by the Michigan Front Page, recognized as One Of Four Up-And-Coming Leaders by Savoy, a national magazine spotlighting young, dynamic African-Americans, and chosen “Most Dedicated Detroiter” and “Best Local Politician” by Real Detroit Magazine, State Senator Buzz Thomas (D-Detroit) is known not only as a political force but also as a dynamic legislative leader.
You may want to review these related posts: Mlive.com: Michigan state senator from Detroit injures knee in fight outside bar
Wikipedia:
“Buzz” Thomas (Samuel “Buzz” Thomas III)
Official Web Site:
Senator Buzz Thomas

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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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