White Earth Nation outlines plan for yet another gaming facility

Monday, September 28, 2015

The Shooting Star Casino in Mahnomen, Minnesota. Photo from Facebook

The White Earth Nation confirmed plans for a new casino at Star Lake, a small community in Minnesota, after a few days of speculation.

The tribe will break ground on the third location of the Shooting Star Casino next year, according to an announcement. The facility, located to the south of the main reservation, is expected to open sometime in 2017.

“Many of our guests travel from southern regions because there are no closer gaming and entertainment alternatives," general manager Bill Marsh said in a press release. "We believe the most efficient way to serve these guests is to push our existing presence further south by building a new, state-of-the-art facility to spur additional economic and financial opportunities within the White Earth Nation region.”

The size and cost of the project were not disclosed. But Marsh said it will feature slot machines, table games, a bar and grill, ballroom, a buffet, a gift shop, a deli, a hotel, and an RV Park.

The tribe already owns about 14 acres of trust property at Star Lake. A separate entity acquired another 230 acres earlier this month for a total of $2.25 million.

The tribe operates one Shooting Star location in Mahnomen and is building a second one near the communities of Bagley and Ebro. Both sites are located on the main reservation

Star Lake is about 39 miles from the southern border of the reservation.

Get the Story:
White Earth Nation to build casino on Star Lake in Otter Tail County (Prairie Business Magazine 9/28)
White Earth Nation to build casino on Star Lake in Otter Tail County (The Grand Forks Herald 9/26)
Casino to be built on Star Lake near Dent (The Fergus Falls Journal 9/26)
KFGO News report confirmed; Shooting Star expanding to Lakes Country (KFGO 9/25)