Engler warns tribe against opening temporary casino

Friday, July 2, 1999 | 9:26 a.m.

The Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians plans to open its Victories Entertainment Casino in a former bowling alley just south of Petoskey. It would offer more than 500 slot machines and employ 225 people until the tribe can open a permanent, full-scale casino in Mackinaw City.

But in a letter faxed Wednesday to tribal officials, Engler said they would be breaking the law if they opened Victories tonight.

In that compact, Engler contends, the tribe agreed to open a casino only on a reservation or on land placed in federal trust. The Petoskey site will not be placed in trust until August, Cadillac television station WWTV reported.

"If they open this weekend, we do intend to sue them and all of their suppliers next week for opening up illegally," Engler spokesman John Truscott told the Traverse City Record-Eagle in a report today.

The tribe has not responded to Engler's letter, Truscott said. It was unclear whether the casino would still open as scheduled.

"Right now my direction is to move forward unless I hear back from the chairman," Victories general manager Jim Rider said of Frank Ettawageshik, head of the Mackinaw City-based tribe.

But if Victories opened, Truscott said, the administration could seek a cease-and-desist order that, if granted, would allow the state to shut down the casino and seize its assets.

"We believe this is very dishonest and disingenuous," he said. "For them to sign that (compact) and to turn around and operate in this kind of way is just mind-boggling."

The Record-Eagle said it could not reach Ettawageshik for comment late Thursday.

Earlier Thursday, tribal officials and casino managers took reporters on a tour of the facility, which was converted from the former Victories bowling alley. Ettawageshik did not mention Engler's letter during the media tour.

Victories doesn't immediately plan to offer blackjack or other card games. Table gambling would require too much dealer training and would have delayed plans to open in time for the Independence Day weekend, Rider said.

The Odawas' larger, permanent casino in Mackinaw City will be part of a complex including a hotel and shopping center, but that project isn't expected to be completed for at least two years.

The Odawas don't expect the temporary casino to compete against the Leelanau Sands and Turtle Creek casinos near Traverse City, 70 miles southwest of Petoskey, Rider said. The tribe also doesn't plan to market Victories toward the Detroit area.

"There's already so much going on in this area, people that will come to this casino will be in this area already," Rider said.