On Again, Off Again Casino Legislation Is Back On Again

The on again, off again legislation to authorize the opening of two new casinos, in Port Huron and Romulus, Michigan, in accordance with a compact entered into by former Michigan Governor John Engler, is apparently back on again.

The bill still awaits action on the entire House floor.

Columnist: Harry Reid Responsible For Pulling Of Port Huron Casino Bill From Committee Agenda

According to a radio host writing a column in the Port Huron Times Herald, Nevada Senator Harry Reid is responsible for the "off-again" status of the on-again/off-again bill before the Natural Resources Committee, sponsored by Michigan Rep. Bart Stupak, which would allow the Bay Mills Indian Tribe to open a casino at the site of the Edison Inn in Port Huron. Reid allegedly pressured Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who pressured Committee Chairperson Nick Rahall of West Virginia to pull the bill from the Committee's agenda, thus preventing it from reaching the floor for a vote. The columnist speculates that Reid's motivation may derive from one of his largest corporate constituents, MGM Mirage, which owns and operates the MGM Grand Detroit, which would theoretically suffer from competition in Port Huron.

Free Press Has Front Page Story On Marian Ilitch And Mike Malik

The Detroit Free Press published a Sunday Free Press front page story from the Freep's Washington Bureau, which analyzed the business relationship between Marian Ilitch, sole owner of the MotorCity Casino, and Mike Malik, a former co-owner of the MotorCity Casino.

The article discussed the pair's efforts to become involved in managing Native American casinos in Long Island, New York, and Barstow, California, as well as Malik's efforts in support of the Bay Mills tribe to secure a casino in Port Huron, Michigan.

Michigan Casino Blog will have further posts throughout this week about the efforts of Ilitch and Malik, and their political fundraising efforts to achieve their business goals through lobbying.

Port Huron and Romulus Indian Casino Legislation Is Off Again

The on-again, off-again legislation to give federal approval to a land swap negotiated in 2002 by then-Governor John Engler is apparently off again. Detroit Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, mother of Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, put the kibosh on the legislation.

Expect this legislation to be revisited, as two sponsors, Rep. John Dingell, and Rep. Bart Stupak, support the legislation. Rep. Dingell's support is critical, as he is the senior member of the Michigan congressional delegation, and has significant allies in Congress.

Two Bills In Congress Would Authorize New Indian Casinos In Port Huron and Romulus

The Natural Resources Committee will be holding hearings next week on two separate pieces of legislation that would give federal approval to the agreement signed by then-outgoing Governor John Engler and two Michigan Indian tribes in 2002. The legislation would authorize the opening of Indian-run casinos in Port Huron and Romulus.

The Port Huron casino would be owned by the Bay Mills Indian Community, which currently operates a casino in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

The Romulus casino would be owned by the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa, which currently operates the Greektown Casino in Detroit, as well as the Kewadin casinos in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.