Columnist: Malik battered but not out

6.27.08

Commentary: Cliff Schrader, WGRT-FM 102.3 was a member of the Thomas Edison Inn Casino Committee

Casino backer got battered; don't count him out just yet

I cannot tell you the number of times I heard in the past two months that Port Huron's casino was a done deal. Everyone -- from the movers and shakers to the kid cutting my grass -- said the gambling facility, a potential catalyst for a massive $500 million development in downtown Port Huron, was a certainty.

The hopes and dreams of Port Huron and the entire Blue Water Area took one terrible hit Wednesday. In a shocking 298-l21 vote, the U.S. House of Representatives soundly rejected our casino dream.

We had come so far since those heady days of June 2001. Thomas Edison Inn owner Don Reynolds and labor leader Dick Cummings led the Port Huron Casino Committee. The group raised this community's support of the proposed casino development. It's been a long march -- seven years of endless minefields and a cost tens of millions of dollars from casino developer Mike Malik.

A bright, hard-working guy, Malik easily can run with the big dogs in Washington. Yet, he relates to the guys fishing off the docks.

It was Malik's vision and incredible drive that marshaled our forces in a fight against overwhelming odds. Without him, Port Huron never would have been a player in the casino game.

Never in these seven years did I hear the words, "It's a done deal," leave Malik's lips. He knows the Detroit and Washington crowds all too well.

The post-game analysis gives a pretty good picture of what happened and how Washington works. At the beginning of the day, the expectation was the vote would be close, but Port Huron's casino bill had enough hard votes to pass -- and enough soft ones to add a cushion of 20 to 30 votes.

The tables, however, were turning. In the past several days, with almost unlimited money, our opposition brought in a ringer.

Washington sources believe an old buddy of jailed lobbyist Jack Abramoff, ex-House Speaker Tom Delay, was dragged out of Texas to work his magic on the House Republican members. Delay was able to convince about 30 House members to switch from supporting us to voting against us -- a 60-vote swing side to Detroit's side.

As U.S. Rep. John Dingell, D-Dearborn, said Wednesday, "In a dark corner of a Maryland prison, Jack Abramoff is smiling right now."

The opposition used a clever tactical move. It had a large number its supporters, mainly Republican, vote quickly at the start of the balloting, thereby running up the no vote very quickly. The impression was the bill was headed for a landslide defeat.

With about 168 no votes cast, our side started to release members who had committed to supporting us, but didn't want to support a losing cause. The result was a crushing 298-121 loss with an incredible 177-vote spread. The opposition pretty much had their way with us.

I suggest you wait a few days before you mourn because there is one thing I have learned: Malik made a lifelong career as the fighting underdog. He never easily gives up the bone.

Delusional Mike Malik blames Abramoff for House defeat of his Port Huron casino scheme

6.26.08

All bets are off
Bill to bring casino to Port Huron falls in House

By MIKE CONNELL

Corrupt lobbyist Jack Abramoff may be locked in a prison cell, but he still received credit Wednesday for the crushing defeat of the Port Huron and Romulus casino bills.

The House rejected the combined measures by a surprisingly lopsided vote of 298 to 121.

Casino developer Mike Malik blamed the setback on "the actions of people who hired Abramoff to stop us originally and who have continued to expand on Abramoff's tactics. They were successful. They did it in ways that someone should investigate."

Abramoff, a former lobbyist who was at the center of a massive Washington corruption scandal, helped block earlier Port Huron bills on behalf of the Saginaw Chippewa, who paid him more than $14million. He now is serving a 70-month term in federal prison.

Uncertain future

Malik, a former Algonac councilman, has worked closely with Detroit businesswoman Marian Ilitch on casino developments. He has been trying to open a casino in Port Huron for more than 15 years.

The Saginaw Chippewa and casino giant MGM Mirage have spent freely to block him. The Saginaw Chippewa operate the state's largest casino in Mount Pleasant, while Malik said MGM's Grand Detroit casino hotel earned a record $50 million last month alone.

"They're not going to let their prized golden goose get hurt," he said. "They're drinking champagne at MGM tonight while the people in Port Huron cannot even afford to drink a pop."

The Port Huron bill would have paved the way for the Bay Mills Chippewa of the Upper Peninsula to open a casino at either Desmond Landing or the Thomas Edison Inn.

"I don't know where we go from here," said Malik, who was hired by Bay Mills to shepherd the project. "The other side has outright lied at every turn. ... It's a great loss to the state of Michigan and the city of Port Huron. There are and were great plans to hire thousands of people. Everybody should be outraged."

Tomion: 'I feel naïve'

City Manager Karl Tomion shared Malik's sense of outrage and disappointment.

"I have to confess I just didn't see this coming," he said. "I knew there were Detroit and Nevada interests that were spending millions of dollars on false information, but I thought our cause was so just we would prevail. I feel naïve."

Detroit's political leaders, including embattled Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick and his mother, Rep. Carolyn Kilpatrick, led the fight against Port Huron.

Tomion expressed dismay with their efforts, noting Port Huron and St. Clair County voters overwhelmingly supported a statewide referendum 15 years ago that let Detroit compete with a casino across the border in Windsor. Port Huron was looking for a similar opportunity to compete with two gaming facilities across the river in Point Edward and Sarnia.

"For them to work so hard against us is very disappointing when we're in exactly the same position as they were," Tomion said. "I'm disappointed in our political process. Whatever happened to doing what is right?"

Malik echoed that criticism. "The city of Detroit believes they are the only group in the state that deserves to have everything their way. They believe all benefits should be their benefits, and that all development should be their development. They always want help, but they never offer help."

He also singled out Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Brighton, as leading behind-the-scenes effort to defeat the bills.

"Mike Rogers worked harder against our cause than anyone else," he said. "Why does Mike Rogers from Brighton and East Lansing care so much about Port Huron? Why is he so aligned to MGM and Ietan (a lobbying firm)? He is the biggest hypocrite on Capitol Hill."

Miller fights for city

Malik and Tomion praised Rep. Candice Miller for her staunch support of the casino effort.

"I think it's important to note how hard Candice Miller and her staff worked," Tomion said. "They have been with us every step of the way."

In the floor debate, Miller gave an eloquent 8½-minute speech in which she addressed many of the opposition's arguments.

"I think it's important to note these bills are supported by every elected official who represents the city of Port Huron," she said, listing herself, both U.S. senators, the past two governors, the legislative delegation, the county board and the city council.

City voters gave their blessing, she noted, as did civic groups, labor unions, educational leaders and "every law enforcement official" in the county, including the sheriff, the prosecutor and police chiefs.

In a passionate appeal, she said "our beautiful state" has the nation's highest unemployment rate, lowest income growth, highest foreclosure rate and highest exodus of young people. Port Huron, she noted, has a jobless rate of 14% to 16%, making it one of the bleakest spots in North America for job-seekers.

She pointed to a photograph of Point Edward's casino and noted it was only 282 yards across the river from Port Huron. "And if you were a very good golfer, maybe not me, but a good golfer could hit a golf ball and hit that Canadian casino facility right now where 80% of the revenues comes from America," she said. "Those dollars should be spent in an American casino to create American jobs."

Big money prevails

Dick Cummings, president of the Michigan Machinists union and a leader of casino efforts, said he believed the floor debate was won convincingly by Miller and others who spoke in favor of the bills, including Nick Rahall, D-W.Va.; Don Young, R-Alaska; Bart Stupak, D-Menominee; Dale Kildee, D-Flint; and John Dingell, D-Dearborn.

"If you truly watched the debate, our side was above board and honest," he said. "It's pretty obvious that the people down there in Congress went with the big money and don't care much about Hometown U.S.A."

Cummings expressed surprise the margin of defeat was so large -- 177 votes.

"I was cautiously optimistic because we had the right arguments on our side," he said. "It was the difference between right and wrong, and wrong won."

Cliff Schrader, a Times Herald columnist and a member of the Thomas Edison Inn Casino Advisory Committee, said it seemed clear House members had made up their minds before the debate even began.

"It's clear this community has been tossed under the bus by Washington," he said. "I think it's over. It's very disheartening."

City can't surrender

Mayor Brian Moeller shared the disappointment of other local leaders, but said the community cannot surrender.

"We need to have something that's a major draw, whether it's a casino or something else," he said. "Tourism is our hope for the future, especially with the price of gas what it is. People from the metropolitan area are going to be looking for shorter trips. They won't be going to Mackinaw City as often as they used to. We have to have something major to draw them here, whether it's a water park, a large aquarium or something else."

He suggested the city might explore possibilities such as reconstructing Fort St. Joseph, built by the French in 1686, or Fort Gratiot, built as an American frontier post during the War of 1812.

"We have a beautiful river and lake," he said. "We have great sporting opportunities with the fishing and boating. If we can find one thing we can cash in on, I think people will come. It would seem we've hit a dead end as far as the casino goes, but we need to keep looking."

Editorial: Questionable hearing rallies casinos' foes

3.17.08

Editorial

Questionable hearing rallies casinos’ foes
Committee’s purpose was to trash Port Huron, Romulus bills

If there was any doubt about the purpose of U.S. Rep. John Conyers’ hearing on the casino gambling bills for Port Huron and Romulus, Friday’s meeting should have dispelled it. Conyers, D-Detroit, used his position as chairman of the House Judiciary Committee to convene a forum for foes of the two bills.

The congressman’s casino opposition to the proposed casinos is no secret. Like most members of Detroit’s delegation, Conyers is against the prospect of any new gambling facilities relatively close to the city.

Detroit officials see the casinos’ proximity as threats to the city’s interests. With three casinos operating as cash cows, new competition might reduce that revenue.

Conyers said as much in his opening remarks at the committee hearing.

The two casinos would “unfairly disadvantage the city of Detroit, to put it mildly,” he said. The competition, he said, would take gamblers, tax revenue and jobs.

Given that introduction, the list of witnesses hardly was a surprise: it was stacked with opponents of the Port Huron and Romulus casinos.

Democrats Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick of Detroit and Shelley Berkley of Las Vegas both spoke against the legislation. Chief Fred Cantu of the Saginaw Chippewa tribe added his opposition. Carl Artman of the Department of Interior’s Bureau of Indian Affairs also expressed his objection.

Only attorneys Kathryn Tierney of the Bay Mills Community and Alice Walker, who represents the Sault Ste. Marie Chippewa, spoke in favor of the legislation.

The bills settle a long-standing eastern Upper Peninsula land dispute between the Sault and Bay Mills Chippewas. The Bay Mills Indian Community would drop its claim to 110 acres of land in Charlotte Beach in exchange for either 19.6 acres at Port Huron’s Desmond Landing or 16.5 acres at the Thomas Edison Inn. The Sault were given the choice of property in either Romulus or Flint.

The legislation also gives authority to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan to enforce the Charlotte Beach land swap for the proposed casino sites. Conyers used the provision to win temporary jurisdiction of the bills for his Judiciary Committee.

In the end, the hearing counted for little. With no real effort to present a fair discussion on the merits of the legislation or to allow representatives of Port Huron and Romulus to speak, the meeting essentially served as a chance for the bills’ opponents to vent.

Last month, the House Natural Resources Committee approved both bills for consideration by the full House. The Judiciary Committee’s jurisdiction is brief — it expires on April 5 . It also is secondary to that of the Natural Resources Committee.

The merits of both bills deserve a thorough hearing in the House and the Senate. The skewed Judiciary Committee hearing did nothing more than demonstrate the need for a fair discussion.

Granholm backs Port Huron casino; congressional hearing set for Feb. 6

1.24.08

Gambling on Port Huron
Granholm's support improves the odds for a riverfront casino

By MIKE CONNELL
Times Herald

The long-stalled effort to open an Indian-owned casino in Port Huron has received a major boost from Michigan's governor, who has thrown her support behind the project.

In exchange for her endorsement, Gov. Jennifer Granholm modified the state's 5½-year-old agreement with an Upper Peninsula tribe.

The new deal would increase the state's share of gaming revenues by as much as $30 million a year. It also opens the door for building the casino at Desmond Landing rather than at the Thomas Edison Inn.

"I strongly encourage you to support this legislation," the governor wrote in a letter to Rep. Nick Rahall, D-W.Va., and Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska, the leaders of the House Committee on Natural Resources.

The committee has scheduled a Feb. 6 hearing on H.R. 2176, a bill introduced eight months ago by Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Menominee. The measure would pave the way for a Port Huron casino by providing congressional approval of a land-settlement deal originally made in August 2002 by former Gov. John Engler and the Bay Mills Indian Community of Chippewa County, which is in Stupak's district.

Jeff Parker, the president of the tribe's executive council, said the agreement he and Granholm quietly signed on Nov. 13 was a crucial step.

"It's very important to have her support," he said.

Leaders back casino
Significantly, the governor's endorsement means the proposed casino has the backing of the political leaders who represent Port Huron in Lansing and Washington.

Along with Granholm, a Democrat, and Engler, a Republican, the proposal has been endorsed by Michigan's two senators, Democrats Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow. Rep. Candice Miller, R-Harrison Township, whose district includes the city, co-sponsored Stupak's bill, as did Rep. Patrick Kennedy, D-R.I., co-chairman of the Congressional Native American Caucus.

The casino also has the backing of the local legislative delegation, the Port Huron City Council and the St. Clair County Board of Commissioners. City voters gave their blessing in a 2001 referendum.

A final step - congressional and presidential approval of the land settlement - has proven elusive. Several bills have gone nowhere. There have been hearings in both the Senate and the House, but the issue has yet to come up for a vote before a congressional committee.

Hearing set for Feb. 6
That could change next month when the House Natural Resources Committee is scheduled to debate Stupak's bill.

Allyson Groff, the committee's communications director, said a specific date has not been finalized, but Larry Rosenthal of Ietan Consulting said the hearing will be Feb. 6.

Rosenthal, a former aide to Rep. Dale Kildee, D-Flint, is a lobbyist for the Saginaw Chippewa, whose casino in Mount Pleasant is Michigan's largest. The tribe is a vigorous opponent of the Port Huron proposal.

Rosenthal described the land-settlement deal as a ruse meant to circumvent a 15-year-old compact between Michigan's federally recognized tribes, which agreed they would not engage in off-reservation gaming unless all 12 tribes agreed. At least nine of the 12 tribes oppose the Port Huron proposal.

The Saginaw tribe includes descendants of the Blackwater River band, which had a 1,287-acre reservation from 1807 to 1836 in the frontier settlement that would become Port Huron.

"Those are the ancestral lands where the Saginaw Chippewa lived and died," Rosenthal said. "This is a scurrilous attempt to undermine the Michigan gaming compact and to undermine the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act."

MGM, Detroit oppose deal
Along with the Saginaw Chippewa, other powerful foes of the Port Huron proposal include gaming giant MGM Mirage, which operates a casino in Detroit, and the political delegations of both Detroit and Nevada.

Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick said his city's three casinos have created nearly 10,000 jobs.

"These jobs meet the original goal that the people of the state of Michigan endorsed (in 1994) when the casinos were approved - economic self-sufficiency for Detroit," the mayor wrote in a letter to the congressional committee. "Any expansion of off-reservation gaming will not only compromise the economic strides that we've made, but will also contradict the will and intent of Michigan voters."

The mayor reportedly will be the first witness called at the Feb. 6 hearing, although Groff said she could not confirm that.

Two months ago, the 48-member House Natural Resources Committee was scheduled to debate and vote on casino proposals for Port Huron and Romulus. At the last moment, those votes were delayed, reportedly at the request of Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, D-Detroit.

She is the mayor's mother and chairwoman of the influential Congressional Black Caucus. MGM Mirage is one of her most generous campaign supporters.

'Fair playing field'
Proponents describe the casino as a life buoy for Port Huron, which has experienced double-digit unemployment for several years. The city is one of the most economically depressed communities in Michigan, the state with the nation's highest jobless rate.

Port Huron also is the only community on the U.S.-Canadian border where a casino exists on the Canadian side without competition on the American shore.

In fact, there are two casinos across the St. Clair River. The Point Edward Charity Casino sits directly across from the Edison Inn, while Hiawatha Slots is part of a harness-racing complex in Sarnia.

The two Canadian casinos are operated by the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Commission, which last week shared quarterly payments of $451,282 with Point Edward and $390,840 with Sarnia. The two communities have split about $40 million in gaming revenues in the past eight years.

"Our studies show that about 77% of that is American money," said Richard Cummings, president of the Michigan Machinists and a founding member of the Thomas Edison Casino Advisory Committee. "All we're asking for is a chance to compete on a fair playing field."

State's share rises
In a letter to the congressional committee, Granholm described the Port Huron casino as "a win-win for everyone involved."

Elaborating on that point, she added: "Approval of this settlement will resolve outstanding land claims potentially affecting 200 families in the eastern Upper Peninsula, provide thousands of new jobs in the struggling border community of Port Huron, provide revenue sources to assist the Bay Mills Indian Community in its efforts to become economically self-sufficient and provide much-needed funds to state and local governments."

Liz Boyd, the governor's press secretary, said Granholm would not have endorsed a Port Huron casino without the modifications to the 2002 agreement.

The new deal raises the state's share of so-called "net win" revenues from a flat 8% to a sliding scale of 9% to 13%, depending on how much business the casino does. "Net win" refers to the amount the casino takes in from slot machines and other electronic games, minus the amount paid out in winnings.

If the casino opens, the governor said her cash-strapped state would see its share of annual revenues increase by $20 million to $30 million, depending on how successful the facility is.

Local share is 2%
Boyd said payments also would be more stable than under the Engler deal, which subjected the state's share to possible termination if new gaming was allowed elsewhere. The agreement also provides the state with a share of revenues from Bay Mills' two existing casinos in Brimley, a resort town on Lake Superior.

Bay Mills also would be required to pay 2% of its net win to local governments. The tribe also could be asked to make other concessions.

St. Clair County's administrator, Shaun Groden, and Port Huron's city manager, Karl Tomion, said they are awaiting congressional action before negotiating with Bay Mills.

Both men have argued that congressional approval of a casino would be one way to offset the damage that seems inevitable if Homeland Security levels dozens of Port Huron homes and businesses to expand the border-inspection plaza.

Boyd said local governments have the option of creating a revenue-sharing board to receive and disburse casino funds, which are intended in part to compensate for lost property taxes.

Dispute dates to 1850s
The land-settlement deal resolves a dispute that dates to the 1850s, when Michigan Gov. Kinsley Bingham promised the Chippewas a 110-acre parcel on the St. Mary River. Despite that pledge, the property was seized by local officials for back taxes and sold off.

Today, dozens of families own property at Charlotte Beach, the disputed parcel. Under the terms of the settlement, the Indians are to surrender their claims to the 110 acres, giving clear title to the current property owners.

In exchange, the Chippewas are to receive reservations - land that will be held in trust for them by the Interior Department - in southeastern Michigan.

A complicating factor is that the Bay Mills band split from Michigan's largest tribe, the Sault Chippewa, in the late 1940s. Both tribes have claims to Charlotte Beach, and both agreed to settlements in exchange for casinos hundreds of miles from their reservations.

The Sault's deal with Engler, which also has been restructured by Granholm, allows the tribe to open a casino at one of three locations - Romulus, Flint or in Monroe County south of the River Raisin. The Sault's preference is a site near Metro Airport in Romulus.

2nd site is option
Under the 2002 deal, Bay Mills could build its casino only at the Thomas Edison Inn, a 12½-acre parcel adjacent to the Blue Water Bridge.

The new deal gives the tribe an alternative site - a 19.6-acre parcel at Desmond Landing. It amounts to about one-third of the acreage put together in the past decade by philanthropist James Acheson, who owns a mile of waterfront property on the St. Clair River between the mouth of the Black River and the Seaway Terminal

Casino developer Mike Malik said the Edison Inn remains the preferred site. He said he has an option to buy the inn and has made payments for several months to help keep its doors open.

"I have a considerable investment in the Edison Inn," he said.

Malik said Bay Mills asked the governor for an alternative site because of concerns that Homeland Security might oppose the construction of a high-rise hotel beside the bridge, one of the busiest crossings on the Canadian border.

A proposed $433 million expansion of the border-inspection plaza is expected to come up for final approval later this year. If the project goes forward as expected, it would mean five years of construction near the Edison Inn.

"We all have questions about what the federal government intends to do," Malik said.

'Nice, safe, fun city'
Malik is a Detroit native whose family moved to Clay Township when he was a youngster. He is a former Algonac city councilman and a business partner of billionaire Marian Ilitch, who owns the MotorCity Casino in Detroit. Her family holdings also include the Detroit Tigers, the Red Wings and Little Caesar's Pizza.

Ilitch supports the Port Huron casino but has said she is playing no role in its development.

If the casino opens, Malik stands to receive 30% of its revenues for seven years through a management contract with Bay Mills. In part, the money would reimburse him for start-up costs as well as the millions he already has invested in lobbying, legal, architectural and other expenses.

"Our biggest job is to get it up and running, and to pay the debts," Malik said. "I see Port Huron as a tourist destination, a great place to come for two or three hours to see the river and the boats. This is a nice, safe, fun city."

Doug Austin, executive vice president of Acheson Ventures, said negotiations with Bay Mills and Malik are ongoing.

"We still have questions," he said. "Nothing is resolved."

He said a promenade will be built from the Military Street drawbridge to the Seaway Terminal, a distance of more than a mile, to guarantee public access to the waterfront.

Austin also said any proceeds Acheson receives from the casino "will be pumped back into the community. ... The money will be used to pursue what our original stakeholders, the people who live on the south side (of the Black River), told us they wanted."

Port Huron still betting on casino to revive its economy

1.18.08

Casino approval is critical to turn around of local economy

by Cliff Schrader

Much of St. Clair County Administrator Shaun Groden's "State of the County" presentation was very positive, but the county's still in an economic downturn.

There has been a five-fold increase in residential foreclosures in the past several years - more than 1,000 in 2007, with an anticipated new record for 2008. We are facing high unemployment and growing business closures.

It will be a very long and painful climb back, unless we land a massive economic score with a proven track record. We need something that can pull us out of this economic abyss quickly.

Forget the spin and wishful thinking. The only real hope is the Thomas Edison Inn Casino project and its promised 3,000 to 4,000 jobs.

Within the next three weeks, the proposed casino is headed back to the table with a new hearing date before the House Natural Resources Committee. As you recall, back in November, Port Huron and the Bay Mills Indian Community were blindsided when Washington's version of the Good Old Boys pulled strings in a backroom deal that saw House Bill 2176 yanked from the subcommittee the night before its hearing.

If there are no further middle-of-the night deals, the next step toward congressional approval of the Bay Mills land-claim settlement (and Port Huron's casino) should proceed in an orderly way, but don't count on it.

Several years ago, Port Huron voters supported a statewide ballot proposal for casino developments in Detroit. The Motor City was in terrible financial shape. It watched millions of dollars flow across the border to Canada's Windsor casino every day. Port Huron suffers a similar plight with regard to Pointe Edward's casino.

Yet, Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick is the first to lead the attack against Port Huron's casino hopes. Has he no shame?

After the House committee hearing in early February, HR 2176 will move to the full House. Under the chamber's rules, it will linger for at least eight days before going to the floor for a vote. If approved, it then goes to the Senate for assignment to the Senate Natural Resources Committee.

As in the House, the Senate committee's chairman has the option of waiving the hearing requirement or assigning it to a subcommittee hearing before a full Senate vote. The bill could take several weeks before receiving that final vote.

As you can see, this is a legislative process laden with more deadly obstacles than even Indiana Jones could face. Through it, Port Huron's enemies will stop at nothing. They will add millions more dollars to the tens of millions they already spread around to scuttle this city's casino.

Meanwhile, Detroit's three casinos set another new record - collecting $1.34 billion in 2007 - their seventh-consecutive annual earnings record.

What can congressional members be thinking? Will they let the economies of Port Huron and St. Clair County collapse while casinos in Canada, Detroit and other Michigan cities reap profits beyond belief?

Cliff Schrader is a radio columnist on WGRT-FM 102.3. His Friday columns are part of a cooperative agreement between the radio station and the Times Herald. His opinions are his own and not those of the Times Herald or WGRT.

The back story on the Port Huron casino proposal

11.14.07

Casino gets hearing in Congress
U.S. representatives spar over plans for Port Huron

By MIKE CONNELL
Times Herald

The 15-year effort to bring an Indian-owned casino to Port Huron faces a major test in Congress this week.

On Thursday, the House Natural Resources Committee is scheduled to debate a bill that eventually would turn the Edison Inn property into a 15-acre reservation owned by the Bay Mills Indian Community, a Chippewa tribe based in the eastern Upper Peninsula. (Full Story)

House Committee to take up Bay Mills' Port Huron casino bill

11.10.07

Sault Tribe, Bay Mills may get new casinos

By Rick McGee

The possibility of two new Michigan casinos operated by the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians and Bay Mills Indian Community will be debated by legislators in Washington next week.

On Thursday, the House’s Natural Resource Committee will consider bills to provide land for proposed casinos in Romulus near Detroit and Port Huron.

Efforts to establish gambling outlets in those communities gained strength in 2002 when then-Michigan governor John Engler signed land-claim agreements with the two Eastern Upper Peninsula tribes.

The deals still require approval by Congress.

One bill designed to move things forward is sponsored by Rep. John Dingell.

The Democrat wants Sault Tribe to be given land in Romulus, which is part of his district.

In December 2003, Romulus voters passed a proposal that affirmed support for construction of a casino to be run by Sault Tribe.

Besides operating Keewadin Casinos in five northern Michigan locations, Sault Tribe is a part-owner of Detroit’s Greektown Casino.

Meanwhile, Menominee Democrat Bart Stupak is sponsoring another bill to authorize a Bay Mills casino in Port Huron.

The cosponsor, Republican Candice Miller, provided support because her district includes Port Huron.

Under the 2002 land-claim agreement, the Bay Mills tribe agreed to withdraw its claim to 100 acres on the St. Marys River in exchange for a new reservation on the Thomas Edison Inn site in Port Huron.

The property would become a casino operated by the tribe.

Renewed interest in the two new casinos has resulted in strong opposition from other operators in the southern part of state

Crime sky rocketing in Port Huron; no guarantees casino will fund increased police, fire protection needs

According to city-data.com, an independent monitoring agency, Port Huron's crime rates have climbed in recent years; and out-paced the national average which has been declining since 2001. Further, Port Huron's ratio of police officers per capita is below (slightly better than half) the national average.


source: http://www.city-data.com/city/Port-Huron-Michigan.html

While Port Huron voters in 2001 narrowly approved, by non-binding advisory vote, an off-reservation Indian casino resort (Bay Mills Indian Community) to be developed at the Thomas Edison Inn site next to the Blue Water International Bridge; there is no agreement in place between the tribe or its developer (Blue Water Resorts, LLC) and the City of Port Huron to provide additional resources for what will certainly be increased law enforcement or fire protection needs if and when a casino resort is ever developed there.

It's been six years since Port Huron's voters were asked to weigh in on a Bay Mills casino; perhaps a new vote is warranted

In 1993, voters in Port Huron failed to approve of casino syndicator Michael Malik's plan to to use the downtown Sears store for a Bay Mills/Harrah's casino. Then 7-8 years later, in 2001, in a non-binding advisory vote, the citizens of Port Huron voted in favor of the idea of putting a Bay Mills casino on the site of the existing Thomas Edison Inn.

Perhaps now, 6-7 years after the last public advisory vote, the citizens of Port Huron should be allowed once again to weigh in on the matter; to see if the people of Port Huron are still in favor of the stalled plan; or perhaps in favor of another plan. After all, there is nothing binding about the 2001 vote and there is no binding contract in place between the City of Port Huron and the Bay Mills Indian Community or its casino syndicator partner, Blue Water Resorts, LLC (formed by Malik in 2001).

Brief synopsis of Mike Malik's 14-year scheme to site an off-reservation casino in Port Huron

as published 10.04.07 in the Port Huron Times Herald:

By MIKE CONNELL Times Herald

...Sears joined the exodus to the suburbs, and in 1993, developer Mike Malik proposed turning the vacant Sears building on Michigan Avenue into a $60 million casino.

Malik, a native of Clay Township, envisioned a casino owned by Bay Mills, a Chippewa band from the Sault Ste. Marie area, and managed by Harrah's Casino Hotels of Nevada. The proposal failed on July 13, 1993, when city voters rejected it, 5,120 to 4,751.

A year later, voters in Port Huron Township rejected a similar proposal for a casino off the Water Street interchange of the expressway.

Malik reappeared in 2002, a year after voters endorsed a casino proposal from Don Reynolds, one of the Edison Inn's owners. In August 2002, Gov. John Engler agreed to let Bay Mills create a reservation on the Edison Inn's 15-acre site if the tribe would drop its long-standing claim to a 110-acre parcel at Charlotte Beach on the St. Mary's River.

Numerous efforts to win congressional and presidential approval of the Engler-Bay Mills' deal have failed. A new bill was introduced in May by U.S. Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Menominee. As of last week, it remained in the House Natural Resources Committee...

Thomas Edison Inn may no longer be residents' preferred site for a Port Huron casino

8.29.07

Letter-to-the-Editor
City residents had no choice in possible casino's location

In response to TalkBackcaller Linda's comment about the location of the proposed casino, I was living in Wisconsin in 2001 when the vote took place. Also, Linda pointed out the voters voted for a casino at a specific location.

I would argue this proves my point - the people of Port Huron had no choice regarding a location. One wonders what the outcome of the vote would have been if the citizens had been given a choice between the Thomas Edison Inn location and a location next to McMorran Place.

The point of my previous letter to the editor was the community of Port Huron should have a choice as to where a casino is located. Oddly, in the Times Herald's forum regarding that letter no one has yet commented on this, one way or another. Instead the location continues to be debated. This debate is moot, if you never get to make the decision.

This is one-shot deal, folks. The people of Port Huron should try to get the most benefits out of having a casino in their community. It's not a "done deal," yet. But it will be if you don't act!

If you believe the decision should be made by the community, then please contact Sens. Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow. Only they may be able to give the citizens of Port Huron the choice.

CAM HALE
Port Huron Township

Sen. Levin announces support for Port Huron off-reservation casino in letter to city's Mayor

8.02.07

Levin support spurs casino hopes
Senator's backing could push vote in U.S. legislature

By MIKE CONNELL
Times Herald

U.S. Sen. Carl Levin, who had been neutral on the issue of a casino in Port Huron, has switched course and thrown his support behind a proposed casino at the Thomas Edison Inn.

Casino advocates, who had sought the senator's backing for five years, hailed his decision.

"Hopefully, this will get us moving," said Wallace Evans, chairman of the St. Clair County Board of Commissioners. "We either have to get on with it or get off of it, but getting Carl's support is huge. (A casino) is a no-brainer as far as what we need to get things turned around in Port Huron."

Levin, a Democrat, is one of the most influential figures on Capitol Hill. He has served in the Senate since 1978 and is chairman of the powerful Armed Forces Committee.

He voiced his support in a letter to Mayor Alan Cutcher, who had written the senator July 10, a day after the Port Huron City Council passed a resolution on the topic.

"I have been neutral toward this proposal until now, given the number of casinos already in Michigan," Levin wrote. "However, your arguments are persuasive relative to the economic situation in Port Huron, coupled with the presence of the casino in Sarnia. In light of the unique situation, I will support the federal legislation introduced by Rep. Bart Stupak earlier this year allowing the Bay Mills project to proceed if it passes the House of Representatives."

Land swap dates to 2002
Stupak's bill, which was co-sponsored by U.S. Rep. Candice Miller, R-Harrison Township, calls for Congress to approve a deal made in August 2002 by former Gov. John Engler and the Bay Mills Chippewa band of the Upper Peninsula.

As part of the deal, Bay Mills surrendered its long-standing claim to property at Charlotte Beach, a 110-acre subdivision on the St. Mary's River south of Sault Ste. Marie. In exchange, Bay Mills would be allowed to buy the Edison Inn, create a reservation and build a casino and resort hotel.

The Engler-Bay Mills agreement does not require the approval of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, as is normal for Indian-run casinos. However, it does require the approval of Congress and President Bush.

The council resolution of July 9, which was introduced by Councilwoman Laurie Sample-Wynn, called on Michigan's congressional delegation to support the agreement. It passed 6-0 with Councilman Jim Fisher abstaining.

Levin's letter was dated July 23. Cutcher, who has been on vacation, was back in town Wednesday, but efforts to reach him for comment were unsuccessful.

Developers ready to build
Mike Malik, a former Algonac city councilman and a close associate of Detroit's wealthy Ilitch family, is spearheading the casino development. He has spent millions of dollars on lawyers and lobbyists in an effort to push the issue through Congress.

"Carl Levin on board with this project will be a great step forward," Malik said. "He's definitely a powerful force who can move this finally to fruition."

Malik said there has been no movement on the Stupak-Miller bill, which was introduced in early May. It remains in the House Natural Resources Committee, and its prospects are unclear. On Wednesday, a committee spokeswoman said nothing is on the schedule for the casino bill.

If the legislation ultimately is approved, Malik said casino developers are ready to begin construction.

"We've been ready for years," he added.

Past bills go nowhere
For five years, Levin had neither supported a Port Huron casino nor opposed it. His ambivalence was regarded as a problem by the casino's supporters because it made it easier for other lawmakers to thwart the project.

In 2002, U.S. Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., blocked it in the Senate, where he is now the majority leader. He was concerned about the precedent of bypassing the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

The bill was rewritten to address Reid's concerns, but it was killed in the House by U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Brighton, a retired FBI agent. Two years ago, another bid was stymied by former U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay, then the House majority leader.

Earlier this year, Miller said the proposal was languishing because it lacked the support of Levin and Gov. Jennifer Granholm.

"If we had a united front, it would be much more helpful," she said.

Saginaw tribe has claim
Miller and U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Lansing, have led the push for a Port Huron casino despite the strong opposition of Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick and other Detroit officials, who see it as a competitor to the three casinos in Michigan's largest city.

Levin is a Detroit native and a former president of the Detroit City Council.

The Port Huron casino also is opposed by the Saginaw Chippewa, whose casino at Mount Pleasant is the state's largest gambling facility. The Saginaw tribe argues it - and not Bay Mills - has an ancestral claim to Port Huron. The tribe includes descendants of the Black River and Swan Creek bands, who had reservations in St. Clair County from 1807 to 1836.

Supporters of a Port Huron casino argue it would be an economic boost for the city, which has a double-digit unemployment rate and one of the nation's highest rates of mortgage foreclosures. They also argue that gambling already exists in the larger community.

The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Commission operates its Port Edward Charity Casino directly across the St. Clair River from the Edison Inn. The commission also operates and manages more than 450 slot machines at the privately owned Hiawatha Horse Park in Sarnia.

City desperate for jobs
Richard Cummings, president of the Michigan Machinists Council, said Port Huron desperately needs the 2,500 to 3,000 jobs a casino is expected to produce. The city, faced with a deteriorating tax base and dwindling revenues, also expects to receive a share of the casino's net revenues.

Cummings formerly led the county AFL-CIO, which endorsed the casino ahead of a 2001 advisory vote where Port Huron voters endorsed the project. In return for its support, the AFL-CIO won a pledge that a casino would pay union wages.

"Sen. Levin has high seniority and is on some very important committees," Cummings said. "Sen. Stabenow has been working on this issue all along. With both senators working together, it's a very positive step in the right direction for Port Huron."

Cummings and Evans are among the community leaders who have traveled to Washington to lobby for the casino with Levin and other members of Michigan's congressional delegation.

Levin also has received financial support from casino backers. In the year's first quarter, which ended March 31, the senator received at least $100,000 in campaign contributions from more than 100 donors, including Malik, pizza magnate Mike Ilitch and Port Huron philanthropist Jim Acheson.

EDITORIAL: The first of Mike Malik's failed attempts to develop a Marina on Harsens Island

According to an Editorial published in the Port Huron Times Herald on 07.24.2007:

...Mike Malik, a former Algonac city councilman is a close associate of Detroit's influential Ilitch family.

Malik is the chief promoter of a proposed casino at the Thomas Edison Inn in Port Huron. He also has big plans for the 430 acres he controls on Harsens Island. For starters, he wants to dig a boat basin and surround it with scores of McMansions and townhouses.

Fifteen years ago, Malik and wealthy toolmaker Fred Smith of Mount Clemens proposed transforming old Camp Drusilla Farwell into a Victorian-style resort called Grande Pointe Marina. The $100 million development would have included a hotel, 18-hole golf course and a sprawling marina with at least 1,150 boat slips.

The Harsens Island Preservation Association, led by A.J. Feeney, put up spirited opposition. On March 4, 1992, when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers closed the public-comment portion of its permit process, it had received 275 letters of opposition and only 12 in favor of Grande Pointe Marina. The project died...

Port Huron Columnist provides measured Q&A on Bay Mills casino circumstances

7.08.07

New attempt at casino bill is perseverance at its best

By MIKE CONNELL
Times Herald

Seven hundred years ago, the king of Scotland was on the run, his army routed by the English for a sixth time.

The king, if legend is to be believed, took shelter in a shanty on an island off the coast of Ireland, where he watched a spider try to cast its web from one beam to another. Six times the spider tried, and six times it failed. Then, on the seventh try, it succeeded.

Robert the Bruce, as the king was known, took heart, resumed the fight and won freedom for Scotland in a seventh battle.

Fable or fact, it's a wonderful tale of patience and perseverance. I was reminded of it last week when I learned that U.S. Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Menominee, has introduced yet another bill to allow the Bay Mills Indian Community develop a casino at the Thomas Edison Inn.

Six past bills - five in the House and one in the Senate - have failed for a variety of reasons. The question now is whether the casino developers, like the Scottish king, will be rewarded for their patience and perseverance, not to mention millions of dollars in legal and lobbying costs.

Here's a look at the issue in question-and-answer format:

Question: What is the status of the latest measure?
Answer: Stupak's bill (H.R. 2176) was introduced May 3 without fanfare and referred to the House Natural Resources Committee, which has taken no action. The measure is co-sponsored by U.S. Rep. Candice Miller, R-Harrison Township, whose district includes Port Huron.

Q: Are congressional hearings likely?
A: No requests for a hearing had been made as of midday Friday. There may not be much left to say. On June 24, 2004, the same committee held a hearing on a similar bill introduced by Miller.

Q: What happened then?
A: The bill ultimately was blocked by House Majority Leader Tom Delay, R-Texas, a close friend of lobbyist Jack Abramoff. The Saginaw Chippewas, who strongly oppose a Bay Mills casino in Port Huron, earlier had paid Abramoff about $14 million.

Q: Who supports the casino?
A: Mike Malik, a Detroit-based casino syndicator, is orchestrating the effort. The Bay Mills Indian Community of the Upper Peninsula would own it. Port Huron City Council has signed off on the idea, and city voters gave their blessings in an advisory vote six years ago. The measure passed, 3,111 to 2,628.

Q: What's in it for Port Huron?
A: Money and jobs. The city's unemployment rate was 12.1% in April, and that statistic doesn't count jobless workers whose benefits have run out. Promoters say the casino and an adjoining 300-room resort hotel would provide 2,000 to 3,000 jobs. In 2001, voters were promised those jobs would pay union wages.

Voters also were assured the casino would share 5% of its net revenues with the city and 3% with the United Way. If net revenues are $100 million a year, which seems conservative based on revenues at Point Edward, that's $5 million for the city and $3 million for the United Way. Reportedly, the county has been promised a 2% share.

It's interesting to look at literature distributed to voters by pro-casino forces six years ago. They predicted the city would desperately need the additional $5 million a year to pay for its $185 million sewer project. They also predicted McMorran Place would need $12 million in renovations by 2011. Those predictions have come to pass.

Q: Are these shares guaranteed in writing?
A: I don't believe so. Lansing's agreement with Bay Mills does guarantee the state 8% of proceeds from slot machines and other electronic gaming devices.

Q: What is Bay Mills?
A: It's a Chippewa (or Ojibwa) band of about 1,500 people based in Brimley, a town near Sault Ste. Marie. The band tried unsuccessfully to develop a casino at the old Sears building in downtown Port Huron in 1993.

Q: What is the state's agreement with Bay Mills?
A: In 2002, three months before he left office, Gov. John Engler approved a deal letting the tribe develop a casino in Port Huron in exchange for dropping its long-standing claim to 110 acres at Charlotte Beach about 15 miles south of Sault Ste. Marie.

The Soo, a much larger Chippewa band with about 31,000 members, also claimed title to the property. On the day he left office, Engler signed off on a deal giving the Soo (or Sault) the right to develop a casino in Flint, Monroe or Romulus. The Soo chose a site near Metro Airport in the latter city.

Q: Didn't Engler oppose casino gambling?
A: Yes. For years, he was outspoken in his opposition.

Q: Then why would he allow a casino in Port Huron?
A: Former U.S. Rep. David Bonior, a Democrat who represented Port Huron during the Engler years, said the governor was persuaded by fair-trade arguments.

Testifying at a Senate hearing in 2002, Bonior explained: "Port Huron, I would note, is the only U.S-Canadian border crossing in Michigan without a casino to compete. Residents in Port Huron have for years watched as residents of Michigan, about about 5,000 a day, simply cross the Blue Water Bridge with their money to the gaming facility which is located right across the bridge on the river."

Q: Who is Mike Malik and what is his role?
A: He is a Clay Township native who has become wealthy as a close associate of the Ilitch family. In fact, he works out of the Ilitches' offices at the Fox Theatre complex in Detroit.

Malik is the fellow who makes things happen, whether it's hiring lobbyists and lawyers or drumming up local support. He also guided the unsuccessful 1993 effort to place a Bay Mills/Harrah's casino in Port Huron.

For at least 15 years, he has sought to develop a huge marina on Harsens Island. His latest proposal appears to be coordinated with efforts by Matty Moroun, the billionaire owner of the Ambassador Bridge, to build a toll bridge connecting the island and Algonac. Malik and Moroun are next-door neighbors on the lakefront in posh Grosse Pointe Shores.

Q: Who opposes the casino?
A: They tend to fall in three camps - those who oppose gambling in general, those who fear a Port Huron casino would set a bad legal precedent and those who benefit from rival casinos.

Q: And who benefits?
A: You might start with Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, whose city is home to three casinos just 60 miles from Port Huron. He has been a fierce and tenacious opponent. The Saginaw Chippewas, who own a casino in Mount Pleasant, and the Grand Traverse Band, who operate a casino near Traverse City, also have been outspoken foes. In fact, nine of Michigan's 12 federally recognized Indian bands are on record as opposing the Bay Mills/Port Huron project.

As an aside, that's why developer Tony DeFeo's proposal for a casino in Kimball Township seems so far-fetched. His plan requires the approval of all 12 tribes. It's difficult to imagine that happening, although quite a few investors have placed $100,000 bets that it will.

Q: What is the concern about a legal precedent?
A: The Port Huron casino involves the settlement of a land claim. The deal was approved at the state level by Engler. If it's approved by Congress and President Bush, construction could begin within weeks. It circumvents the usual process outlined in the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, which requires an environmental review and other approvals by the Interior Department.

Also, critics say it's absurd for the Bay Mills band to establish a tribal reserve in Port Huron, which is more than 300 miles from Brimley.

Q: But wasn't there a Chippewa reservation in Port Huron at one time?
A: Yes, 200 years ago - in November 1807 - area tribes agreed to sell their lands south of White Rock in Huron County. As part of the treaty, the Mekadewagamitigweyawininiwak - or "people of the black water river" - were given title to 1,287 acres on the south bank of the Black River in what is now Port Huron. The band sold its reservation about 30 years later.

Today, the descendants of the Indians who lived here are part of the Saginaw band, which opposes the casino.

A bit of trivia: Mekadewagamitigweyawininiwak - a 28-letter tongue-twister - is the longest Indian word recorded in the Handbook of American Indians: North of Mexico, a definitive study of Native Americans compiled a century ago by anthropologist Frederick Webb Hodge of the Smithsonian Institute.

Q: Won't a casino bring crime with it?
A: U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Brighton, a retired FBI agent who in April 2004 blocked an amendment for casinos in Romulus and Port Huron, is among those who believe it will. Others disagree and argue a casino is more likely to reduce crime by creating jobs and bolstering the local economy.

In a 2001 memo, Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley reported only 13 police calls in the previous six months at Hiawatha Horse Park and Entertainment Centre. Point Edward's casino, directly across the river from the Edison Inn, has reported no major problems with crime.

Sarnia and Point Edward have vibrant economies, and gambling seems to have generated jobs and revenues as promised with no adverse effect on crime rates.

Q: Why not develop a casino downtown or on the Acheson property instead of at the Edison Inn?
A: Port Huron voters approved locating the casino anywhere within the city limits, but the agreement made with Engler in August 2002 limits Bay Mills to the Edison Inn parcel. Changing the site would require the tribe to negotiate with Gov. Jennifer Granholm, a former Wayne County administrator with close ties to Mayor Kilpatrick and his family. That seems neither prudent nor likely.

Q: What happens next with the bill?
A: It's hard to say with certainty. It could be attached to a larger piece of legislation. From Port Huron's perspective, it helps that the leaders of the Natural Resources Committee - Rep. Nick Joe Rahall, D-W.Va., and Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska - strongly support it.

Q: Why is that?
A: They argue it's a local issue. In the 2004 hearing, Rahall and Young made it clear that outsiders should not be allowed to overrule Congresswoman Miller in deciding what is best for her district.

At one point, Young told Rogers: "It appears to me, with 20 casinos in Michigan, it is those that have the casinos now (who) are ganging up against those that do not have and saying this in an inappropriate thing to do. And to me, that is really not quite cricket."

Q: What is the prospect of Senate approval?
A: U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Lansing, has been a strong supporter. She has said a casino might help compensate the city for the tax base and population losses likely from the proposed half-billion-dollar expansion of the bridge customs plaza.

U.S. Sen. Carl Levin, D-Detroit, one of the most influential figures on Capital Hill, has not opposed the casino, but he has not agreed to sponsor the measure either. To Washington insiders, that suggests his support is lukewarm at best.

Larry Thornton, a retired official with the railroad carmen's union, recently wrote Levin and asked the senator to help get the bill to the president's desk. Thornton argued St. Clair County desperately needs the jobs.

In his response, Levin seemed ambivalent. His letter closed with this passage:

"I believe decisions regarding gaming should be made at the local level, through city or county resolutions where the voices of those who would be directly affected by the final decision can be heard. At the same time, lawmakers at both the state and federal level must not overlook the fact that Michigan has the second largest number of casinos in the U.S. Should this rate persist, the market in Michigan will become so saturated that the economic benefits which result from tribal gaming initiatives will be lost."


Mike Connell is a columnist for the Times Herald. He can be reached at (810) 989-6259 or mconnell@gannett.com

Various properties controlled by the current owners of the Thomas Edison Inn

The Thomas Edison Inn (TEI), in Port Huron, MI, is the site for the proposed Bay Mills Indian Community’s off-reservation casino. If approved this would be the third casino for the Bay Mills Tribe, the first off reservation. Thomas Edison Inn sits in the shadow of the Blue Water International Bridge Crossing near the Blue Water Visitor & Convention Bureau and the Port Huron Museum’s Thomas Edison Depot.

“Thomas Edison Inn” is a d/b/a for Innkeepers Management LLC. William F. Ehinger is the LLC’s manager. Also associated with Innkeepers Management LLC is Donald W. Reynolds. The two bought back ownership control of the Thomas Edison Inn in 1998 from Meritage Hospitality Group Inc.

Here is a list of properties controlled by Innkeepers Management LLC in the vicinity of the Thomas Edison Inn. The City of Port Huron also owns adjacent property.

Parcel #	Address	Owner
063750040000	500 Thomas Edison Pkwy Port Huron, Mi 48060-8506	Innkeepers Management LLC
063750040100	500 Thomas Edison Pkwy Port Huron, Mi 48060-8506	Innkeepers Management LLC
065710121000	2200 Saint Clair St Port Huron, Mi 48060-3028	Innkeepers Management LLC
065710126000	2200 Saint Clair St Port Huron, Mi 48060-3028	Innkeepers Management LLC
065710127000	St Clair St Port Huron, Mi 48060	Innkeepers Management LLC
065710135000	2108 Saint Clair St Port Huron, Mi 48060-3026	Innkeepers Management LLC
065710136000	2100 Saint Clair St Port Huron, Mi 48060-3026	Innkeepers Management LLC
065710137000	2000 Saint Clair St Port Huron, Mi 48060-3104	Innkeepers Management LLC
065710138000	2000 Saint Clair St Port Huron, Mi 48060-3104	Innkeepers Management LLC
065710139000	St Clair St Port Huron, Mi 48060	Innkeepers Management LLC
065710142000	2000 Saint Clair St Port Huron, Mi 48060-3104	Innkeepers Management LLC

Thomas Edison Inn owners bought back controlling interest in 1998 for $12.2 million

The following was included in an 8-k filing to the Securities and Exchance Commission (SEC) by Meritage Hospitality Group Inc. September 1, 1998 relative to disposition of The Thomas Edison Inn.

On September 1, 1998, the Company's wholly-owned subsidiary, Thomas Edison Inn, Incorporated, sold real and personal property including (i) the hotel and restaurant facility (known as the Thomas Edison Inn) located at 500 Thomas Edison Parkway, Port Huron, Michigan (the "Hotel"), (ii) the fixtures, furniture, furnishings, equipment and supplies used in the operation of the Hotel, and (iii) certain other real and personal property owned by the subsidiary and located adjacent to the Hotel (collectively, the "Assets"). The Assets were sold to Innkeeper's Management, LLC and its affiliate, Reynolds/Ehinger Enterprises, LLC, both of whom have no relation to the Company. The Assets were sold for $12,200,000 pursuant to the terms of an agreement dated April 16, 1998 and amended on September 1, 1998. The purchase price was comprised of $10,200,000 in cash and a $2,000,000 one-year secured note bearing interest at 8.0% over the prime lending rate.

http://www.secinfo.com/dR7Ak.78w.htm

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• The Bay Mills Land Claims Case Was a Scam from the Start
• Desperate for third casino; Tribe & its developer condemn Abramoff, but try to slip own approvals through Congress "under the radar"
• Bay Mills Indian Casino backers behind first fundraiser for Rep. Candice Miller
• Senator 113k. Rep 75k. Getting to build a casino, PRICELESS
• Publicist shines spotlight on Senator Stabenow & Rep. Miller after his clients invested $200,000 in their campaigns