"Tribe counters casino criticism
...The campaign comes as federal officials are wrapping up their study of the casino bid. Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne might issue a decision before the end of the summer, said George Skibine, who oversees the Bureau of Indian Affairs' Office of Indian Gaming Management.
If Kempthorne approves the project, it would go to Gov. Jim Doyle, who has veto power over off-reservation casinos in the state.
Doyle has not said whether he would approve the Kenosha casino or the gambling hall planned for Beloit by two Chippewa tribes. Skibine, however, was not optimistic that either would win Kempthorne's blessing.
'Given the secretary's position on off-reservation gaming, it is an uphill battle,' Skibine said.What secretary has said
Skibine noted that Kempthorne has talked about how as Idaho governor, he told a tribe in that state that he would veto its off-reservation casino bid.
And in February, the Bureau of Indian Affairs told numerous tribes seeking off-reservation gambling halls that the bureau frowned on 'reservation shopping' - searching for land far from reservations to open casinos.
The Kenosha site is about 200 miles from the Menominee's reservation near Keshena..."
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Off-Reservation Casino faces uphill battle
posted 7.09.07 at JS Online:
Developer's first plans for 450-acre holding on Harsens Island introduced 18 years ago
In 1989/90 Michael Malik first introduced plans to build a $150 million resort complex on the 450-acre former Boys Club of Detroit property on Harsens Island, Michigan.
Malik and partner Fred Smith had unveiled plans for a complex on the island's North Channel that would include a hotel, marina, condominiums, golf course and other features that they said had been designed to recapture the island's past as a resort haven.
Malik and Smith had hoped to dig out a million cubic yards of the island to build a marina with 1,348 boat slips. In designing their project they explained they were forced to chose between saving 45 acres of oaks, hickory and cherry trees -- some of them a century old -- or a few threatened plants they describe as "weeds." The so-called "weeds" -- Sullivant's milkweed and lady's slipper -- were protected by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. In the end the DNR reportedly found the development would destroy wetlands and rare plants and the project was mothballed.
The plans were also rejected in January 1996 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers because an updated proposal had not been submitted.
Now Malik under the names Lucky 7 Development and Grande Pointe Development has proposed another similar project for the same site. This one features a man-made lagoon with an Island Club House and canal access to the North Channel all surrounded by single family home lots, clustered townhomes and multi-story condos.
(Details of the original plans gleaned from several articles archived by the Detroit Free Press and available at http://nl.newsbank.com/)
Malik and partner Fred Smith had unveiled plans for a complex on the island's North Channel that would include a hotel, marina, condominiums, golf course and other features that they said had been designed to recapture the island's past as a resort haven.
Malik and Smith had hoped to dig out a million cubic yards of the island to build a marina with 1,348 boat slips. In designing their project they explained they were forced to chose between saving 45 acres of oaks, hickory and cherry trees -- some of them a century old -- or a few threatened plants they describe as "weeds." The so-called "weeds" -- Sullivant's milkweed and lady's slipper -- were protected by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. In the end the DNR reportedly found the development would destroy wetlands and rare plants and the project was mothballed.
The plans were also rejected in January 1996 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers because an updated proposal had not been submitted.
Now Malik under the names Lucky 7 Development and Grande Pointe Development has proposed another similar project for the same site. This one features a man-made lagoon with an Island Club House and canal access to the North Channel all surrounded by single family home lots, clustered townhomes and multi-story condos.
(Details of the original plans gleaned from several articles archived by the Detroit Free Press and available at http://nl.newsbank.com/)
Developer's been chasing Tribe's off-reservation casino schemes for more than 15 years
Dating back to the early 1990s, self-styled casino syndicator and promoter Mike Malik has been trying to get a deal that would allow the Bay Mills Indian Community to build an additional casino somewhere off-reservation, far from their Northern Michigan U.P. reservation lands and outside their recognized ancestral territory, in an urban area that would be even more of a financial goldmine. Ever the deal broker, Malik had originally brought in Harrah’s to partner with the tribe and included the Ilitch Family on various urban locations including several in Detroit and Port Huron.
Detroit Free Press (MI) - December 22, 1992
HARRAH'S PUTS BETS ON PORT HURON FOR A CASINO
Port Huron isn't known as a tourist destination, but Harrah's International along with Mike Malik had decided the numbers were right to make the city of 35,000 into one. The gambling company wants to put a casino costing up to $60 million in a vacant Sears store in downtown Port Huron, about an hour north of Detroit. The proposal, unveiled Monday, faces long odds, including opposition from Gov. John Engler. Port Huron officials also expect some local opposition
Detroit Free Press (MI) - May 29, 1993
CASINO PLAN FLOATS NEAR FOX THEATRE INDIAN-RUN CENTER COULD HELP FUND A NEW DETROIT STADIUM FOR TIGERS
With attention centered on a plan to put an Indian-run casino in Greektown, developers and lobbyists quietly are seeking to build an Indian casino near the Fox Theatre. The Detroit casino would be part of a sports and entertainment complex that could include a new baseball stadium financed with casino revenues, a hockey arena, a shopping mall, and the Mike Ilitch-owned comedy club under construction, according to people close to the casino discussions. The exact location for the casino was...
Detroit Free Press (MI) - December 10, 1993
TRIBE SEEKS APPROVAL OF CASINO NEAR FOX
The Bay Mills Indian Community, which runs a small casino in the Upper Peninsula, has asked the federal government to approve a casino in Detroit on an acre of land next to the Fox Theatre. The tribe has an option to purchase the land, according to an application filed Nov. 26 with the Michigan office of the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs. The land is located in an area of commercial buildings and vacant property north of Grand Circus Park at Woodward and Adams.
Detroit Free Press (MI) - August 11, 1994
NEW CASINO PLAN ON TABLE FIRM SAYS COMPLEX IN FOXTOWN COULD FINANCE STADIUM
A major casino company Wednesday unveiled plans for a casino near the Fox Theatre in downtown Detroit that would be one of the biggest in the nation. The $300-million, 10-acre project would include a 400-room hotel, a parking structure, six restaurants, two bars, a 500- seat theater, parking for 5,000 cars, a game room and child care centers. Tom Carr, senior vice-president of Indian gaming for Harrah's Casino Hotels, said the company has been working on the project for...
These attempts by Malik failed; but Malik and those financing his schemes have continued to pursue the pot of gold and are now back in Port Huron again. And Marian Ilitch, sole owner of Detroit's MotorCity Casino has reportedly been pushing the Port Huron plan.
For a compendium of posts on this topic: Posts set context and detail scheming, conflict$ behind Detroiters' off-reservation casino proposal
ARCHIVES: Pizza matriarch takes on casino roles, Marian Ilitch lobbies to legalize gambling in Hawaii, helps Port Huron gaming effort
Despite repeated denials by Ilitch spokesman Tom Shields that Ilitch family members are behind the Port Huron casino scheme ...
This from the archives of The Detroit News (MI) - 10.23.02
This from the archives of The Detroit News (MI) - 10.23.02
"Marian Ilitch, the Little Caesars pizza chain matriarch who helped launch Detroit's casino industry three years ago, is involved with more casino proposals in Michigan and Hawaii. Ilitch, owner of a 25 percent stake [as of April 2005 she owns 100%] in Detroit's MotorCity Casino, has been lobbying to legalize casino gambling in Hawaii and also is helping an Upper Peninsula Indian tribe that wants to build a gambling parlor in Port Huron, only an hour from Detroit. Both moves are a natural..."
ARCHIVES: Casino group may lose partners, 3 MotorCity investors get notice of problems
From the archives of the Detroit Free Press (MI) - 9.11.99
"Three key partners' ownership in the MotorCity Casino appears to be in jeopardy, people familiar with the situation said Friday. Herb Strather, Nellie Varner and Mike Malik -- who were instrumental in bringing gambling to Detroit -- have been told by the Michigan Gaming Board that they have problems that could force them to sell their shares. Mayor Dennis Archer had heard the news Friday but did not know the specific details, said mayoral spokesman Greg Bowens...."
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Descendants of Chemehuevi basket weaver return to site of her Victorville grave and the village where she lived for 104 years
7.14.07Descendants of ‘Indian Maria’ revive history of their people
By TATIANA PROPHET Staff Writer
VICTORVILLE — Over the centuries, the Mojave Narrows has been a crossroads — for the Indians, then for the Spanish, then for American ranchers and settlers.
But there was one person who stayed there the longest of anyone — dwelling in Victorville all her 104 years. She is Maria Chapula, known as Indian Maria, Indian Marie, or even Victorville Maria.
On Monday, the day before the 47th anniversary of her death, Chapula’s granddaughter came to Old Town to visit her grave and rediscover memories of her visits here as a child.
When Chapula died on July 10, 1960, she was the last member of a Chemehuevi village near the Narrows. But she was not the last of her tribe.
Her descendant, Ernestine Paddock Sharpe, drove from Parker, Ariz., to bring the history of her people out of obscurity.
“We want to preserve it,” she said. “It’s being lost right now as it is.”
Though many in Victorville would not know it, Indian Maria lives on through her works of art, housed at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.
Chapula was a master basket weaver.
“My grandmother always said the Chemehuevi baskets are the hardest baskets to make in the United States,” said Weegie Claw, a cousin of Sharpe’s whose grandmother used to weave with Chapula.
Claw now teaches the art of basket weaving in Tehachapi, continuing the tradition of a basket woven so well that it is more like a bowl.
VICTORVILLE — Over the centuries, the Mojave Narrows has been a crossroads — for the Indians, then for the Spanish, then for American ranchers and settlers.
But there was one person who stayed there the longest of anyone — dwelling in Victorville all her 104 years. She is Maria Chapula, known as Indian Maria, Indian Marie, or even Victorville Maria.
On Monday, the day before the 47th anniversary of her death, Chapula’s granddaughter came to Old Town to visit her grave and rediscover memories of her visits here as a child.
When Chapula died on July 10, 1960, she was the last member of a Chemehuevi village near the Narrows. But she was not the last of her tribe.
Her descendant, Ernestine Paddock Sharpe, drove from Parker, Ariz., to bring the history of her people out of obscurity.
“We want to preserve it,” she said. “It’s being lost right now as it is.”
Though many in Victorville would not know it, Indian Maria lives on through her works of art, housed at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.
Chapula was a master basket weaver.
“My grandmother always said the Chemehuevi baskets are the hardest baskets to make in the United States,” said Weegie Claw, a cousin of Sharpe’s whose grandmother used to weave with Chapula.
Claw now teaches the art of basket weaving in Tehachapi, continuing the tradition of a basket woven so well that it is more like a bowl.
“The weave is so tight they can hold water,” she said.
It takes six to eight weeks to make a Chemehuevi basket, working 10 to 12 hours a day, Claw said.
Phil Wyman, a former California Assemblyman whose great grandparents started the cement plant in Oro Grande, met Chapula’s descendants through their mutual interest in native culture and accompanied them to Victorville.
“The friendship’s been renewed,” said Wyman, whose great grandmother used to go to the village to buy baskets from Chapula.
The Chemehuevi are related to the Paiute nation. A nomadic people, they wandered through the High Desert from the Colorado River on the east to the Tehachapi Mountains on the west and from Las Vegas and Death Valley on the north to the San Bernardino and San
Gabriel mountains on the south.
In the town of Victor, as it was once called, the village settled along the Mojave River where Victor Valley Memorial Park now is.
In 1867, when Maria was 11, a massacre at Chimney Rock — in retaliation for an earlier murder of three farm hands — thinned the ranks of her tribe. But she and her parents survived, according to a scholarly study of Indians in Victorville.
She married Manuel Chapula, who died in about 1932, according to a census by the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
Though she lived in poverty most of her life, dwelling in a temporary “brush arbor” built to shield her from sun, Chapula’s sense of home was a permanent one. She lived on a lot that stands empty today at the northwest corner of 10th and C streets.
“Maria was the only one that stayed,” Sharpe said. “This was home.”
Throughout her long life, she cleaned and cared for Victorville households and wove baskets out of native desert willow and devil’s claw, always wearing the Chemehuevi style of floor-length cotton skirt, blouse tucked in, white apron and white head scarf. She spoke a few words in Spanish, fewer in English, and the Chemehuevi dialect.
When her granddaughter used to come visit with their aunt, Chapula had retired and was weaving baskets full time — hosting her kinsmen as they would travel on their way somewhere.
At that time, Chapula’s companion was a dog named Sam.
Once when Chapula was shopping at Safeway, she bought too many things to carry, she told her granddaughter. When she came out of the store, Sam was already in the back of a taxi.
“The dog went around the corner and got in the taxi,” Sharpe said. “The driver knew her and circled around.”
Chapula’s grave is labeled as “Marie Chapuli,” a member of the Paiute tribe, at the Victor Valley cemetery, and is marked by a Victorville historic sign.
Ernestine Sharpe, Weegie Claw and Phil Wyman, bonded by their love of Indian culture, hope to bring some of Maria’s baskets back to the Victor Valley for display — a fitting monument to the place she so loved.
Tatiana Prophet may be reached at 951-6222 or at tprophet@vvdailypress.com
It takes six to eight weeks to make a Chemehuevi basket, working 10 to 12 hours a day, Claw said.
Phil Wyman, a former California Assemblyman whose great grandparents started the cement plant in Oro Grande, met Chapula’s descendants through their mutual interest in native culture and accompanied them to Victorville.
“The friendship’s been renewed,” said Wyman, whose great grandmother used to go to the village to buy baskets from Chapula.
The Chemehuevi are related to the Paiute nation. A nomadic people, they wandered through the High Desert from the Colorado River on the east to the Tehachapi Mountains on the west and from Las Vegas and Death Valley on the north to the San Bernardino and San
Gabriel mountains on the south.
In the town of Victor, as it was once called, the village settled along the Mojave River where Victor Valley Memorial Park now is.
In 1867, when Maria was 11, a massacre at Chimney Rock — in retaliation for an earlier murder of three farm hands — thinned the ranks of her tribe. But she and her parents survived, according to a scholarly study of Indians in Victorville.
She married Manuel Chapula, who died in about 1932, according to a census by the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
Though she lived in poverty most of her life, dwelling in a temporary “brush arbor” built to shield her from sun, Chapula’s sense of home was a permanent one. She lived on a lot that stands empty today at the northwest corner of 10th and C streets.
“Maria was the only one that stayed,” Sharpe said. “This was home.”
Throughout her long life, she cleaned and cared for Victorville households and wove baskets out of native desert willow and devil’s claw, always wearing the Chemehuevi style of floor-length cotton skirt, blouse tucked in, white apron and white head scarf. She spoke a few words in Spanish, fewer in English, and the Chemehuevi dialect.
When her granddaughter used to come visit with their aunt, Chapula had retired and was weaving baskets full time — hosting her kinsmen as they would travel on their way somewhere.
At that time, Chapula’s companion was a dog named Sam.
Once when Chapula was shopping at Safeway, she bought too many things to carry, she told her granddaughter. When she came out of the store, Sam was already in the back of a taxi.
“The dog went around the corner and got in the taxi,” Sharpe said. “The driver knew her and circled around.”
Chapula’s grave is labeled as “Marie Chapuli,” a member of the Paiute tribe, at the Victor Valley cemetery, and is marked by a Victorville historic sign.
Ernestine Sharpe, Weegie Claw and Phil Wyman, bonded by their love of Indian culture, hope to bring some of Maria’s baskets back to the Victor Valley for display — a fitting monument to the place she so loved.
Tatiana Prophet may be reached at 951-6222 or at tprophet@vvdailypress.com
CCM MERGER: High Debt Levels Prompt S&P to Downgrade Ratings
T R O U B L E D C O M P A N Y R E P O R T E R
Monday, June 26, Vol. 10, No. 150
Headlines
Monday, June 26, Vol. 10, No. 150
Headlines
Standard & Poor's Ratings Services lowered its ratings on Detroit-based casino owner and operator CCM Merger Inc., including its corporate credit rating to 'B' from 'B+'.
Additionally, all ratings were removed from CreditWatch where they were placed with negative implications on April 7, 2006. The outlook is stable.
"The downgrade reflects Standard & Poor's assessment that the combination of weaker-than-expected operating performance during 2005, a highly competitive operating environment in the Detroit market, and high debt levels associated with the ongoing expansion project, have resulted in higher-than-expected near-term peak debt
leverage that would no longer be consistent with the former rating," said Standard & Poor's credit analyst Michael Scerbo.
As a result of the 6% gaming tax increase effective Sept. 1, 2004, and a much more aggressive marketing environment by competitors, CCM's earnings during 2005 declined materially from the prior year despite revenues remaining relatively flat. This competitive environment continued during the first quarter of 2006 and is likely to remain the case in the near to intermediate term. Still, over the long term, the market is expected to stabilize, which will enable CCM to reduce debt balances once the expansion of its gaming facility is complete.
However, during the expansionary period, CCM's adjusted total debt to EBITDA is expected to reach 8x in 2006, before potentially declining to levels more appropriate for the new rating in subsequent years. Operating disruptions associated with construction are expected to be limited, given the location of the expansion behind the current facility.
Additionally, all ratings were removed from CreditWatch where they were placed with negative implications on April 7, 2006. The outlook is stable.
"The downgrade reflects Standard & Poor's assessment that the combination of weaker-than-expected operating performance during 2005, a highly competitive operating environment in the Detroit market, and high debt levels associated with the ongoing expansion project, have resulted in higher-than-expected near-term peak debt
leverage that would no longer be consistent with the former rating," said Standard & Poor's credit analyst Michael Scerbo.
As a result of the 6% gaming tax increase effective Sept. 1, 2004, and a much more aggressive marketing environment by competitors, CCM's earnings during 2005 declined materially from the prior year despite revenues remaining relatively flat. This competitive environment continued during the first quarter of 2006 and is likely to remain the case in the near to intermediate term. Still, over the long term, the market is expected to stabilize, which will enable CCM to reduce debt balances once the expansion of its gaming facility is complete.
However, during the expansionary period, CCM's adjusted total debt to EBITDA is expected to reach 8x in 2006, before potentially declining to levels more appropriate for the new rating in subsequent years. Operating disruptions associated with construction are expected to be limited, given the location of the expansion behind the current facility.
FEC Should look into why it is Marian Ilitch mascarades as a "Homemaker"
Among Senator Carl Levin's contributions from individuals whose employer/occupation is "N/A/HOMEMAKER":
18. ILITCH, MARIAN
18. ILITCH, MARIAN
- 3/30/2007 - $2,300.00
DETROIT, MI 48201
N/A / HOMEMAKER
[Contribution Record]
Transaction itemized by: FRIENDS OF SENATOR CARL LEVIN
- 3/30/2007 - $2,300.00
DETROIT, MI 48201
N/A / HOMEMAKER
[Contribution Record]
Transaction itemized by: FRIENDS OF SENATOR CARL LEVIN
Why in the world would Mrs. Marian Ilitch who along with here husband Mike Ilitch is co-owner of a $1.5 billion empire list herself as "homemaker" when she makes political contributions? Is it to avoid the amount of money totaling from Ilitch Holdings executives? This "homemaker" is same Marian Ilitch who is:
- vice chairwoman of Ilitch Holdings, Inc;
- co-founder of Little Caesars Pizza;
- co-owner of the Detroit Red Wings; and
- sole owner of Detroit's $1.1 billion MotorCity Casino.
You may want to review these posts:
Levin pulls big money for re-election
7.13.07 Senate Democrat hopes to demoralize potential foes with huge election war chest.
Gordon Trowbridge
Detroit News Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON -- Sen. Carl Levin raised almost $1.8 million for his re-election campaign in the second quarter of this year, a total likely to place him near the top of the list nationally among 2008 Senate candidates.
Of Senate candidates who have released figures for the second three months of the year, only Minnesota Democrat Al Franken raised more money in the quarter. The radio host and former "Saturday Night Live" performer collected $1.9 million in the quarter.
A summary of Levin's second-quarter fundraising report Thursday showed him with about $2.9 million in his campaign account at the end of June, also among the top figures for '08 contenders who have announced their totals.
At this point in the 2002 race -- his last re-election bid -- Levin, D-Detroit, had $1.3 million in cash on hand, less than half of his current total.
Federal candidates have until Sunday to file their second-quarter reports.
Levin announced his re-election campaign in January and began raising money earlier than in past cycles, telling supporters he wanted to dampen Republican hopes that a small campaign account at the start of the year would make him more vulnerable to a challenger. Top-tier Republicans such as U.S. Reps. Candice Miller of Harrison Township and Mike Rogers of Brighton have declined to challenge Levin, and national analysts rank his seat among the safest Democratic Senate seats in 2008.
Former state lawmaker Andrew Raczkowski, who lost to Levin in 2002, has expressed interest in running again. Levin won that race with 61 percent of the vote, to 38 percent for Raczkowski. Levin has been in the Senate since 1979.
You can reach Gordon Trowbridge at (202) 662-8738 or gtrowbridge@detnews.com
WASHINGTON -- Sen. Carl Levin raised almost $1.8 million for his re-election campaign in the second quarter of this year, a total likely to place him near the top of the list nationally among 2008 Senate candidates.
Of Senate candidates who have released figures for the second three months of the year, only Minnesota Democrat Al Franken raised more money in the quarter. The radio host and former "Saturday Night Live" performer collected $1.9 million in the quarter.
A summary of Levin's second-quarter fundraising report Thursday showed him with about $2.9 million in his campaign account at the end of June, also among the top figures for '08 contenders who have announced their totals.
At this point in the 2002 race -- his last re-election bid -- Levin, D-Detroit, had $1.3 million in cash on hand, less than half of his current total.
Federal candidates have until Sunday to file their second-quarter reports.
Levin announced his re-election campaign in January and began raising money earlier than in past cycles, telling supporters he wanted to dampen Republican hopes that a small campaign account at the start of the year would make him more vulnerable to a challenger. Top-tier Republicans such as U.S. Reps. Candice Miller of Harrison Township and Mike Rogers of Brighton have declined to challenge Levin, and national analysts rank his seat among the safest Democratic Senate seats in 2008.
Former state lawmaker Andrew Raczkowski, who lost to Levin in 2002, has expressed interest in running again. Levin won that race with 61 percent of the vote, to 38 percent for Raczkowski. Levin has been in the Senate since 1979.
You can reach Gordon Trowbridge at (202) 662-8738 or gtrowbridge@detnews.com
Friday, July 13, 2007
S&P Credit Research: CCM Merger Inc. (summary)
Alacra Store - S&P Credit Research: CCM Merger Inc.
"The ratings on Detroit, Mich.-based CCM Merger Inc., the parent company of MotorCity Casino, reflect high debt levels associated with the acquisition of the property and its ongoing expansion, the company's narrow business focus being dependent upon a single source of cash flow, construction risks associated with the expansion, and highly competitive operating conditions in the Detroit gaming market.
Still, the Detroit market benefits from barriers to new competition and good customer demographics. As a result of the company's development agreement with Detroit, the company is required to expand the existing gaming facility. To satisfy this requirement, MotorCity is currently in the process of creating 100,000 sq. ft. of gaming space, a 400-room hotel, and 67,000 sq. ft. of convention space..."
"The ratings on Detroit, Mich.-based CCM Merger Inc., the parent company of MotorCity Casino, reflect high debt levels associated with the acquisition of the property and its ongoing expansion, the company's narrow business focus being dependent upon a single source of cash flow, construction risks associated with the expansion, and highly competitive operating conditions in the Detroit gaming market.
Still, the Detroit market benefits from barriers to new competition and good customer demographics. As a result of the company's development agreement with Detroit, the company is required to expand the existing gaming facility. To satisfy this requirement, MotorCity is currently in the process of creating 100,000 sq. ft. of gaming space, a 400-room hotel, and 67,000 sq. ft. of convention space..."
Barstow Attorney Dennis Whittlesey now says tribes can't build casinos outside of their ancestral territories
Dennis Whittlesey has represented the City of Detroit and others including the City of 
Barstow, California where two tribes from opposite ends of California (Big Lagoon Rancheria from Humboldt County and the Los Coyotes Band of Cahuilla and Cupeno Indians from San Diego County) are trying to get approvals to build side-by-side casinos up to 750 miles from their reservations that would be developed and managed by the same Detroit casino syndicators who were behind Detroit's MotorCity Casino. Those syndication interests are also behind plans to build a Bay Mills Indian Tribe casino 350 miles from its reservation in Port Huron, Michigan.
Oddly enough, there's no public record in Barstow or Port Huron in which Whittlesey advised clients or is on the record to indicate that he didn't believe casinos would be built outside a tribe's ancestral territories. Quite the contrary. In Barstow Whittlesey negotiated several municipal service agreements with two tribes that have no histories in the Mojave Desert area surrounding Barstow and reportedly worked behind the scenes in an attempt to block a tribe with ancestral ties to the Barstow area from moving forward with casino plans there.
Now Whittlesey, who recently came to represent the town of Middleborough, Massachusetts says tribes casn't go outside their aboriginal territories for the purpose of building casinos.
The following published 6.13.07 in the Boston Globe:
This past year Whittlesey joined the Michigan based Dickinson Wright law firm in which former Detroit Mayor Dennis Archer is chairman.
Barstow, California where two tribes from opposite ends of California (Big Lagoon Rancheria from Humboldt County and the Los Coyotes Band of Cahuilla and Cupeno Indians from San Diego County) are trying to get approvals to build side-by-side casinos up to 750 miles from their reservations that would be developed and managed by the same Detroit casino syndicators who were behind Detroit's MotorCity Casino. Those syndication interests are also behind plans to build a Bay Mills Indian Tribe casino 350 miles from its reservation in Port Huron, Michigan.Oddly enough, there's no public record in Barstow or Port Huron in which Whittlesey advised clients or is on the record to indicate that he didn't believe casinos would be built outside a tribe's ancestral territories. Quite the contrary. In Barstow Whittlesey negotiated several municipal service agreements with two tribes that have no histories in the Mojave Desert area surrounding Barstow and reportedly worked behind the scenes in an attempt to block a tribe with ancestral ties to the Barstow area from moving forward with casino plans there.
Now Whittlesey, who recently came to represent the town of Middleborough, Massachusetts says tribes casn't go outside their aboriginal territories for the purpose of building casinos.
The following published 6.13.07 in the Boston Globe:
"Dennis Whittlesey, a Washington lawyer representing Middleborough in the negotiations, questioned the plausibility of allowing the tribe to open a casino in Boston. The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988, he pointed out, was aimed at restricting a tribe's gaming operations to the area considered the tribe's historical lands. Those lands extend from Mashpee throughout Southeastern Massachusetts.
" 'The chances of a casino in Boston is zero,' said Whittlesey, who has specialized in Indian gaming for more than 30 years.
"In three cases nationally, tribes with reservations have been allowed to purchase land outside their historical areas to open a casino. The Bush administration has announced it will not grant any such petitions for the remainder of its term in office.
" 'The Mashpee cannot go open a casino in downtown Chicago, and they cannot go open one in downtown Boston,' Whittlesey said."
This past year Whittlesey joined the Michigan based Dickinson Wright law firm in which former Detroit Mayor Dennis Archer is chairman.
Wings open season against champion Ducks - mlive.com
Wings open season against champion Ducks - mlive.com:
By Ansar Khan
"DETROIT -- The Detroit Red Wings won't have to wait long to renew old acquaintances, opening the 2007-08 regular season against the Stanley Cup champion Anaheim Ducks Oct. 3 at Joe Louis Arena.
Anaheim, which eliminated Detroit in the Western Conference finals this spring, signed former Wings Mathieu Schneider and Todd Bertuzzi to free-agent contracts last week. The Ducks will be on their way back home from London, England, where they open the regular season against the Los Angeles Kings on Sept. 29-30."
By Ansar Khan
"DETROIT -- The Detroit Red Wings won't have to wait long to renew old acquaintances, opening the 2007-08 regular season against the Stanley Cup champion Anaheim Ducks Oct. 3 at Joe Louis Arena.
Anaheim, which eliminated Detroit in the Western Conference finals this spring, signed former Wings Mathieu Schneider and Todd Bertuzzi to free-agent contracts last week. The Ducks will be on their way back home from London, England, where they open the regular season against the Los Angeles Kings on Sept. 29-30."
Marian Ilitch's MotorCity Casino previews new hotel rooms
Bets, bath & beyond: MotorCity Casino shows off plush new hotel
The Detroit News got a sneak peak at a model of one of the deluxe rooms that will open this fall at the Ilitch organization's expanded MotorCity Casino Hotel in downtown Detroit.
Additional views can be seen at newly revised MotorCityCasino.com
"It all will be part of the experience of staying at MotorCity Casino's new 400-room hotel, scheduled to open on Nov. 1 as part of its $275 million entertainment complex off the Lodge Freeway at Grand River. The 17-story hotel will feature 359 rooms, plus 41 suites ranging from 700 square feet to 5,000 square feet.
The state-of-the-art rooms will start at $300 a night. The hotel's four-bedroom suite, complete with butler services, is $8,000 a night.
The casino on Thursday showcased a model of its smallest room, a 435-square-foot unit outfitted with a plasma TV and an iPod docking station. The luxury bedding includes 300-thread-count sheets and robes. The marble bathrooms boast a soaking tub and a separate shower area.
"This is a luxury hotel," said Asaad Farag, MotorCity Casino's newly hired vice president of hotel operations. "We're looking for at least a four-star rating. You will have everything you want at this location. There is a lot of pride in this hotel."
Farag said MotorCity sees its complex as a luxury convention facility, one with elegant rooms, spa and fitness services, conference and meeting spaces, restaurants, entertainment venues and 100,000 square feet of gaming space. The complex is being built adjacent to the site where MotorCity opened in 1999 as a temporary casino; that space has been expanded into a permanent gaming facility that opened in June.
He noted that when the hotel was being planned, its owner, Marian Ilitch, vice chairwoman of Ilitch Holdings and wife of Little Caesars Pizza magnate Mike Ilitch, wanted nothing but the best. He said Marian Ilitch even got involved in picking out linens.
"It's high-end quality," Farag said. "We are using 300-count linen. Marian Ilitch said if she uses it in her home, her guests should have it in her hotel. That's the philosophy of this property."
A hotel gaming expert said it's too early to determine whether the MotorCity's room rates will fly in the Detroit market."
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070713/BIZ/707130358/1001
Courts Denied Bay Mills Indian Community's Charlotte Beach Land Claims
Opinion of the Michigan Court of Appeals in Bay Mills Indian Community v. State of Michigan, Governor of Michigan, et. al. (No. 218580, Court of Claims, LC No. 96-016482-CM); published March 2, 2001. Court denied the Bay Mills Indian Community's claims to 110 acres in the Charlotte Beach subdivision east of Barbeau, Michigan; upheld claims court
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Ilitch names international hospitality veteran as new MotorCity Casino Hotel VP
as posted 7.13.07 at Hospitality Design Asia:
Asaad Farag to oversee MotorCity Casino Hotel
July 13, 2007
Asaad Farag, an international hospitality industry veteran, has been named vice president of hotel operations for MotorCity Casino Hotel. Farag's responsibilities will include all aspects of hotel operations including the spa, retail, catering, and conference sales.
Prior to his new assignment, Farag was general manager of the Conrad Istanbul, where he directed the development of the 5-star, 584-room hotel. Farag has also served as general manager of the Regent Wall Street Hotel & Spa in New York City and was a member of the start-up team for the Stirling Club Turnberry Place in Las Vegas, serving as vice president and general manager. In addition, he has managed the St. Regis Hotel in Los Angeles and held various senior positions with the Ritz Carlton in Cleveland, the Walt Disney Dolphin in Orlando, the Beverly Hills Hotel in California, and the Plaza in New York City.
Asaad Farag to oversee MotorCity Casino Hotel
July 13, 2007
Asaad Farag, an international hospitality industry veteran, has been named vice president of hotel operations for MotorCity Casino Hotel. Farag's responsibilities will include all aspects of hotel operations including the spa, retail, catering, and conference sales.
Prior to his new assignment, Farag was general manager of the Conrad Istanbul, where he directed the development of the 5-star, 584-room hotel. Farag has also served as general manager of the Regent Wall Street Hotel & Spa in New York City and was a member of the start-up team for the Stirling Club Turnberry Place in Las Vegas, serving as vice president and general manager. In addition, he has managed the St. Regis Hotel in Los Angeles and held various senior positions with the Ritz Carlton in Cleveland, the Walt Disney Dolphin in Orlando, the Beverly Hills Hotel in California, and the Plaza in New York City.
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