Compacts

Gun Lake Tribe shares nearly $5.8M in gaming revenue in Michigan

Friday, December 9, 2016

The Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians owns and operates the Gun Lake Casino in Wayland, Michigan. Photo from Facebook Gaming continues to be good business for the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians, also known as the Gun Lake Tribe, and its neighbors in Michigan.

The tribe on Wednesday announced the distribution of nearly $5.8 million in gaming revenues. More than $3.9 million went to the state and another $1.8 million went to communities near the Gun Lake Casino.

“This revenue sharing distribution is the result of government-to-government cooperation for the benefit of all Michiganders,” Chairman Scott Sprague said in a press release. “The state revenue sharing payments help to fund economic development projects beyond West Michigan, while the local revenue sharing payments is important for municipal services and public education.”

Under the Class III gaming compact, the tribe shares revenues with the state and local communities twice a year. But a dispute regarding exclusivity led the tribe to withhold the state's share, starting in 2015.

The parties, however, were able to reach a partial settlement in July. As a result, a portion of the revenues that would have gone to the state are now going to GLIMI, a new entity that will promote economic development. For this fall, that amount came to nearly $1.2 million, bringing the total amount shared to nearly $7 million.

Since the opening of the Gun Lake Casino in February 2011, the tribe has shared $86.6 million in gaming revenues with the state and local communities.

D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals Decision:
Patchak v. Jewell (July 15, 2016)

U.S. Supreme Court Decision:
Salazar v. Patchak (June 18, 2012)

Prior D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals Decision:
Patchak v. Salazar (January 21, 2011)