Mille Lacs Band expands economy with $6.9M purchase of resort


The >Big Sandy Lodge & Resort in McGregor, Minnesota. Photo from Mille Lacs Corporate Ventures

The Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe Indians in Minnesota continues to expand its holdings in the hospitality industry.

Mille Lacs Corporate Ventures, the tribe's economic arm, paid $6.9 million for the Big Sandy Lodge & Resort in McGregor. The popular property includes an 18-room lodge, seven cabins, 14 townhouses, a pool and a log home.

“Our roadmap calls for a mix of hospitality growth in targeted markets as well as acquisitions that allow us to expand the local business economy within all three districts of the Mille Lacs Band reservation,” Joe Nayquonabe, the CEO of Mille Lacs Corporate Ventures, said in a press release. “Big Sandy Lodge has a reputation as one of Minnesota’s premier resort destinations. We look forward to expanding upon the resort’s rich traditions by leveraging our experience in hospitality.”

The tribe owns hotels in Minnesota and Oklahoma in addition to numerous businesses in Minnesota.

Get the Story:
Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe buys Big Sandy Lodge & Resort (The Minneapolis Star Tribune 4/8)
Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe purchases resort (The Grand Forks Herald 4/8)
Big Sandy Lodge purchased by Mille Lacs Corporate Ventures (The Aitkin Independent Age 4/8)
Mille Lacs Band buys Big Sandy Lodge & Resort (Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal 4/7)

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