Star Lake Mn Casino Plans
The Star Lake project called for construction of a 30,000-square-foot casino with 180 hotel rooms, convention space, a 15-stall RV park, three restaurants and other amenities on land on Star Lake. Cedar Lake Casino Hotel and Event Center. 6268 Upper Cass Frontage Road NW. Cass Lake, MN 56633.
It can be frustrating for all parties when a project comes close to fruition only to be closed. There were extensive plans to create a casino resort on Star Lake in Minnesota. However, after three years and more than $7m (£5.4m) invested in the project, it appears to be dead in the water.
Background of the project
In September 2015, the White Earth Nation announced plans to create the Shooting Star Casino and Resort. It was to be built using 14.7 acres of designated trust land on the eastern side of the Maplewood State Park, which is not far from Pelicans Rapids.
The tribe planned to have the resort up and running by 2017. It purchased more than 270 acres of land adjacent to the primary site to be used for the various elements of the development, as well as for parking and transportation access.
Along with the gambling center, there would have been a hotel with 180 rooms, a restaurant and bar, large conference area, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, spa, entertainment area, facilities for RVs, and more than 840 slot machines.
There was a lot of opposition to this proposed project as soon as the plans were made public. Star Lake is one of the biggest lakes in the area, and it is a popular destination throughout the year, but especially during the summer.
The Star Lake Concerned Citizens Group (SLCCG) was created. It was made up of those who owned property in the area and were concerned by the increased levels of traffic that would lead to the wetlands and compromise this rural area. They staunchly opposed any plans to build a casino resort in the area.
The White Earth Nation operates two other gambling centers, in Bagley and Mahnomen, Minnesota.
What is the current status?
Otter Tail County decided in August 2017 to have the casino proposal subjected to a complete environmental impact statement.
After that decision, it was nearly an entire year before anything else was heard about this matter. The permit for the project had been withdrawn and it and it looked as if the tribe was waiting for an important election in June 2018 to decide what approach to take.
As a result of the election, a new secretary-treasurer and representative took office at the White Earth Reservation. As a result, the casino project being put on hold while the newly elected officials looked at the budget to see if the tribe had the resources needed to continue with the project.
It is believed that those who were newly elected had previously been opposed to the idea of the Star Lake Casino.
The project was officially closed at the end of August after three years following a vote by the White Earth tribal council. Facing so much local opposition, as well as internal opposition to the plans, it may have been doomed from the start.
Many members of the tribe had been concerned about the environmental impact of a project on the surrounding lands and on the lake itself. There have also been recent indications that Native American tribes are seeing decreasing gambling revenues.
This could be because of sports betting legalization and the fact that many other states have softened their gambling laws, allowing non-tribal operators to enter into the space, which often ends tribal monopolies. This proposed new casino could have ruined the tribe financially if it was not successful.
The tribe has already spent more than $7m (£5.4m) on this project. The money was used for buying land and for the various fees associated with planning and protecting the region’s environment.
While some may see this as a massive waste of money, the tribe might have gone on to sink tens of millions of dollars in the casino resort without being guaranteed success.
The White Earth Nation continues to face questions about a proposed gaming facility in Star Lake, Minnesota. Residents packed a community meeting on March 30 to discuss the project. Many were concerned about the size of the casino -- which includes a hotel, a 10,000 square-foot conference center and a 6,000 square-foot indoor/outdoor pool and spa -- given the rural nature of Star Lake. “We tried to blend the northwoods feel and not present ourselves as a Las Vegas-style casino,' Bill Marsh, the general manager of the Shooting Star Casino said at the meeting, The Detroit Lakes Tribune reported. 'Our focus is on the resort-type living. That’s the type of the facility we are trying to design.” The tribe owns 14.5 acres of trust land at the lake. The tribe has since purchased adjoining properties and now owns a total of 270 acres there, according to Otter Tail County.
The Shooting Star Casino in Mahnomen, Minnesota. Photo from Facebook
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. The tribe maintains a cultural connection to the area, which has been used for traditional ricing activities. The land was placed in trust prior to 1988 but an exact date hasn't been reported in the Minnesota media. The Class III gaming compact authorizes gaming at any site on the reservation as well as additional 'Indian lands' under the tribe's jurisdiction. The Star Lake site presumably falls under the definition of 'Indian lands' in the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. The casino could open sometime in 2017. Get the Story:
Shooting Star Casino meeting draws large crowd in Dent (The Detroit Lakes Tribune 4/16) White Earth Nation breaks ground on second gaming facility (11/16)
Star Lake Casino
White Earth Nation plans hotel and RV park at third casino site (10/09)White Earth Nation outlines plan for yet another gaming facility (09/28)
Star Lake Mn Casino Plans Prices
White Earth Nation linked to land buys at potential casino site (9/25)
