
It's all verifiable: archives, resources and stuff they might not tell you.
A comprehensive archive chronicling the activities of Motor City casino syndicators (Marian Ilitch & Family, Michael Malik, Herb Strather, etc.); their associates, partners & affiliates; and the unfulfilled commercial & Indian casino schemes they are bankrolling in Michigan (Port Huron, Flint Township), Hawaii (Waikiki), New York (Long Island / The Hamptons), and California (Barstow).
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Ilitch promotes Fisher to CFO

Ilitch names cousin as president of family's food distribution service

"Matt has tremendous experience in the industry," said Christopher Ilitch. "He knows the food service business inside and out and he recognizes the important role Blue Line plays in the success of its many customers. His understanding of the industry and our organization will serve him well and allow him to continue guiding the tremendous growth at Blue Line."
In his new role, Matt Ilitch will oversee the strategic direction and day-to-day oversight of the distribution company. He will report to Christopher Ilitch.
Ilitch takes over management of theaters at GM Renaissance Center

Standard & Poor's assigns negative credit rating to Ilitch-owned casino company
- "Ratings on the company, including the 'B' corporate credit rating, were affirmed. The outlook revision reflects our concern regarding the limited cushion with respect to CCM's total leverage covenant and the potential for a violation of this covenant over the near term, as this measure steps down by 0.2x in the first quarter of 2009. Having completed the expansion project at its MotorCity facility, the bank agreement requires that consideration now be given to formerly excluded debt in calculating covenant compliance for the company..."
Monday, October 27, 2008
Has Rep. Stupak introduced yet another bill for a Bay Mills casino in Port Huron?
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... (Complete Article)
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Detroit News dashboard demonstrates declining state of Michigan's economy
Michigan's economic rank falls
Median income declines as home values shrink more than U.S. average."By nearly every measure, Michigan has lost ground economically compared to the rest of the country, according to census figures released today. "
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Barstow Mayor and Detroit Casino Syndicator under investigation; their casino plans dead in Sacramento
This appears to suggest that all efforts in Sacramento to advance a Barstow casino have ceased.
It's reported that the BarWest double billboard, erected at one time on property the Detroit casino syndicators reportedly control in Barstow, has fallen into extremem disrepair and stands as an icon for the state of the Barstow casino project.
Barstow's Mayor Lawrence Dale stands for re-election next month. For the last eight years the Mayor has made the BarWest casino the cornerstone of his plans for economic development in the declining desert town. Now that the casino appears to be dead, what does the Mayor propose to turn around the local economy?
For nearly 19 months, the lobbying and campaign finance reporting practices of BarWest and its principal Michael J. Malik, Sr., have been under investigation in Sacramento. BarWest and its principles injected nearly $200,000 into local Barstow politics in recent years -- that's more than had been spent on politics in Barstow for the entire second half of the 20th Century.
Barstow Mayor Lawrence Dale is reportedly under investigation by the San Bernardino County District Attorney.
Revenues at Ilitch owned MotorCity Casino fall 9.46% in September; down $8 million this year.
For the 12 month period ending September 30, MotorCity Casino's revenues are down nearly $12.8 million (2.63%) as compared to the previous 12 months. Revenues have fallen 9 out of the last 12 months as compared to the same months the previous year.
The Ilitch-owned property opened its expanded gambling hall in June 2007 and a 400-room hotel in November 2007.
The casino/hotel owner Marian Ilitch borrowed nearly $1 billion to acquire, expand, and finance MotorCity Casino.
Both Moody's and Standard & Poor's have been forced to downgrade MotorCity Casino's credit ratings since Ilitch acquired 100% control of the enterprise. Most recently on 9.29.08, Standard & Poor's changed its ratings outlook on CCM Merger, Inc. from stable to negative.
MotorCity Casino is a d/b/a for Detroit Entertainment LLC. CCM Merger, Inc. is the parent of Detroit Entertainment LLC.
MotorCity Casino revenues down 9.46% over 2007
Find this article at: http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081008/ENT08/810080439
Detroit Casino Revnues drop in September
MotorCity Casino followed closely at $36 million, down from August’s $41 million.
Indianz.com: Judge to consider Shinnecock Nation recognition
A federal judge says he will determine whether the Interior Department has "unreasonably delayed" the Shinnecock Nation of New York from federal recognition.
The tribe submitted its petition to the Bureau of Indian Affairs in 1978. Despite being at the top of the list for an answer, the tribe is still waiting.
Judge Joseph F. Bianco will hold a telephone conference tomorrow to determine how to proceed with the case.
Get the Story: Federal judge orders Shinnecocks' case reviewed (Newsday 10/5)
Court Decision: Shinnecock Nation v. Kempthorne (September 30, 2008)
Dykema lobbyists disclose they are behind Ilitch backed plans for Port Huron casino
The official disclosure document indicates that two lobbyists, Nancy Barbour and Elliott Hall (also a lobbyist for Corning, Inc. and Ford Motor Company), were lobbying for the passage of H.R. 2176, a bill that was overwhelmingly defeated a little more than two month earlier (06.25.2008) on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives.
OpenSecrets.org reports that attorneys affiliated with Dykema Gossett have contributed nearly $320,000 to federal election committees during the 2008 election cycle.
Blue Water Resorts has paid lobbyists at least $585,000. Another Malik controlled casino affiliate MJM Enterprises Development, founded in 1993, has paid lobbyists $710,000. The Bay Mills Indian Community has paid lobbyists $1,670,000. That's a total of almost $3 million to federal lobbyists.
Blue Water Resorts, L.L.C., was formed by Detroit casino syndicator Michael Malik on 07.10.2001. A second entity, Blue Water Resorts Manager, Inc. was formed by a Malik attorney on 09.06.2005. Both entities are believed to be the financing mechanisms for a proposed Port Huron Indian casino that Malik has proposed in partnership with the Bay Mills Indian Community.
Attorneys affiliatd with Dykema Gossett have been intimately involved with Malik's schemes for the proposed Port Huron casino dating back to Gov. John Engler's last term in office; notably, R. Lance Boldrey, a former aide and counselor to Engler who negotiated an agreement between the Bay Mills tribe and the State of Michigan that would pave the way for the off-reservation casino, and Richard McClellan, Engler's close friend and political operative.
Also backing Malik's Port Huron casino scheme are members of Detroit's Ilitch Family (Mike Ilitch & Marian Ilitch). Dykema represented Marian Ilitch in her acquisition of complete control of Detroit's MotorCity Casino in several public offerings intended to raise capital for Ilitch's purchase and expansion of MotorCity Casino. Malik was once a partner in MotorCity Casino but failed to receive a gaming license from the Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB).
Malik and senior members of the Ilitch Family have contributed nearly $800,000 to federal campaign committees during their pursuits for a Port Huron casino.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
UPDATED: Analysts have reason to keep a close watch on MotorCity Casino (CCM Merger, Inc.) right now
Give these kinds of circumstances, you can bet analysts at Moody's as well as Standard & Poor's are keeping a close watch on MotorCity Casino's parent company, CCM Merger, Inc -- the entity Marian Ilitch formed to acquire MotorCity Casino from MGM Mirage/Mandalay Resort Group and other minor investors in 2005. In late August, Moody's reaffirmed its negative credit rating outlook for CCM Merger.
- Ilitch -- falls on Forbes' list of "400 Richest Americans" for second year in a row. Forbes' attributes the fall to troubles at MotorCity Casino which is "facing new competition from MGM Mirage" as well as an "economic downturn depressing casino valuations."
- MotorCity Casino (MCC) -- MGCB reports indicate revenues for Summer 2008 (Jun - Aug) fell 6.5% over Summer 2007.
- MotorCity Casino (MCC) -- revenues at the new and improved MotorCity Casino through August 2008 were down 1.65% over the previous 12 month period. (MGCB)
- MotorCity Casino (MCC) -- completion of what's now reported as a $300 million construction project was celebrated in September 2008 nearly a year after construction was originally anticipated to be complete.
- MotorCity Casino (MCC) -- construction, originally set to be completed by end of 2007, was ongoing through March 2008.
- MotorCity Casino (MCC) -- An expanded (25% larger) gaming floor opened in June 207 and despite an initial bump in revenues in June and July 2007; for each of the subsequent three months, revenues declined. Revenues posted in October 2007 were second lowest in that calendar year.
- MotorCity Casino (MCC) -- hotel opening delayed.
- MotorCity Casino (MCC) – August 2007 revenues were down as compared to the prior month; just two months after opening its expanded gaming floor.
- Detroit -- labor authorizes strike against three Detroit Casinos beginning Tuesday, Oct. 16. MotorCity Casino is labor's first target among Detroit casinos. On Oct. 17, MotorCity Casino locks its doors to gambling patrons.
- Detroit – realized a short-run UAW strike against GM in September.
- Detroit - UAW workers walked off the production lines at Chrysler in October.
- Detroit – second highest foreclosure rate in the Country. CNN’s Money.com reports that this past year, one of every 29 Detroit area households recorded a foreclosure filing there, almost double the rate of a year ago.
- Michigan – faced the possible shutdown of Detroit’s Casinos in the event of an anticipated Oct. 1 state government shut down.
- MGM Grand Detroit -- will celebrate a Grand Opening of its new $775 million casino hotel the Week of October 2, 2007.
- MotorCity Casino -- 400-room hotel is set to open in November completing the property’s $275 million renovation and expansion; MotorCity Casino announced the hiring of a V.P. for hotel operations in July who mysteriously has come and gone from the yet to open property; and MCC announced the hiring of a second V.P. for hotel operations in September.
- MotorCity Casino – lost its head chef in September to a restaurant in Chicago.
- MotorCity Casino – trying to gain some local marketing advantage by developing some synergy with other Ilitch-owned brands – namely the Detroit Red Wings and Detroit Tigers. MLB has a ban on mixing gambling and baseball; and an announcement for a Red Wings’ gambling tournament scheduled to coincide with MotorCity Casinos grand re-opening was pulled from the NHL’s official Red Wings’ Web site in light of recent NHL gambling scandals.
- Ilitch - falls 55 spots on Forbes 400 List; MotorCity Casino credit ratings fell, Tigers fail to make playoffs, Red Wings fail to sellout
CCM Merger, Inc. is the entity which obtained nearly $1 billion from "investors" through traditional bank loans and junk bond offerings in 2005. Ilitch used $525 million to buyout MGM Mirage, projected $275 million to renovate and expand the casino property and the balance primarily to assist in financing the acquisition of the funds in the shortrun.
It should be noted that one year after Ilitch purchased MotorCity Casino, both Moody's and Standard & Poor's were forced to downgrade their credit ratings for the Ilitch-controlled CMM Merger, Inc. because the entity was leveraged beyond what investors were told originally that they might expect.
first posted 10.03.07
updated 10.10.07; 10.15.07, 10.17.07, 10.25.07, 11.21.07, 11.28.07, 9.15.08
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Ilitch and partner contributed to Rep. Rangel who's embroiled in corruption charges
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) has labeled Rangel one of the “20 Most Corrupt Members of Congress.” Rangel has come under intense scrutiny for a series of alleged ethics lapses, including failure to disclose income on real estate property and raising money for an educational center bearing his name. Rangel is currently the focus of a self-initiated House Ethics Committee investigation.
Marian Ilitch owns Detroit’s MotorCity Casino and Michael Malik was once her partner in that venture. The pair has partnered subsequently on Indian casinos proposed in California, Michigan and New York. Mike & Marian Ilitch are the co-founders of Little Caesars Pizza and own the NHL’s Detroit Red Wings. Mike Ilitch owns MLB’s Detroit Tigers.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Ilitch drops to #301 on Forbes List; family's struggling Casino primary reason

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Google News: Indian Gaming
NEWS: Bay Mills Indian Community & Casino Proposals
NEWS: Shinnecock Indian Nation (Gateway Casino Resorts) Casino Proposals
NY Times: Shinnecock Indian Nation
NEWS: Los Coyotes Indian Tribe
NEWS: Los Coyotes / Barwest Barstow Casino Proposals
NEWS: Michael J. Malik, Sr.
NEWS: Marian Ilitch
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