Is a casino coming to Lansing?

Also, MIRS, a Lansing newsletter, reported Thursday nightthat it has learned from two sources that negotiations are underway.

O’Dell said the plan that has been discussed is for the cityto sell or lease the property to the tribe to build a two-story casino in theparking lot behind the Lansing Center, which faces Michigan Avenue between Larch Streetand the Grand River.

He said that the plan calls for the tribe to build a biggercasino in Lansing and then sell the first building to the city or give it back.

The longer-term plan also calls for a hotel north of theLansing Lugnuts’ baseball stadium on property owned by developer Pat Gillespieand the city.

Also, a new parking deck would be built south of the StadiumDistrict, which is a mix of commercial and residential on Michigan Avenueacross from the stadium, O’Dell said.

O’Dell said the casino would provide 1,000 jobs, plusanother 300 construction jobs.

O’Dell said the tribe had looked at the old Knapp’s Buildingdowntown as a possible location but the Eyde family, which owns it, was too faralong on its plans for the site.

O’Dell said the tribe has paid $75,000 to the city to retaina law firm to work on the deal. He identified the firm as Dickenson Wright ofLansing.

O’Dell said his organization has collected more than 5,000signatures on a petition for a ballot issue asking Lansing voters if they wouldlike to have a casino.

O’Dell said that Art Luna, president of UAW Local 602, hasbeen involved in negotiations.

MIRS quoted Luna as saying Thursday that, "There's been a lot of discussion. It's anopportunity to bring jobs to Lansing."

MIRS also reported:

“AttorneyRichard McLellan, who consulted with the Bernero administration onthe feasibility of a casino in Lansing, said his conclusion is that no morecasinos can be built in Michigan, which is not an uncommon opinion, he said.However, (Mayor Virg) Bernero is working with other legal counsel to findanother legal avenue.

"’If someonecan figure out how to do it, more power to them,’ McLellan said. ‘Maybesomebody has a way to do it. If they do, it will be a new theory. It will haveto be.’”

“Under aconstitutional amendment approved in 2004,” MIRS added, “the creation of anynew non-Indian casino would need statewide and local voter approval. Any newIndian casino would need to follow specific federal guidelines that McLellansaid he doesn't believe any Native American tribe can qualify under.”

O’Dell said fourtribes in the state signed agreements with the federal government thatprohibited gaming expansion. However, he said the Chippewa tribe from SaultSte. Marie is one of three that signed no such agreement.

MIRS reported:“Under a constitutional amendment approved in 2004, the creation of any newnon-Indian casino would need statewide and local voter approval. Any new Indiancasino would need to follow specific federal guidelines that McLellan said hedoesn't believe any Native American tribe can qualify under.”

O’Dell said thetribe has looked at a number of pieces of property in Lansing, but that BobTresize, the president/CEO of the Lansing Economic Development Corp., insistedit be on the river.

O’Dell said heintroduced tribal leaders to city officials in February after he proposed aLansing casino to them and they showed an interest.

City officialsnotified some local media two weeks ago that they were invited to a briefing ona major development plan at the downtown offices of the Christman Co., thecontractor that developed the Accident Fund Insurance Co. of America’s newheadquarters in the old Ottawa Street Power Station. However, the briefing wascalled off.

Efforts to reachthe Bernero administration’s spokesman, Randy Hannan, were unsuccessful.