The Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians (GTB) will open its third gaming facility early next year, according to the tribe’s website.
The new gaming facility, which will be located at 7282 Hoadley Road in Benzonia, will have slot machines and gaming tables, according to John Petoskey, an attorney representing the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians. Petoskey is also a member of the tribe.
The northern Michigan tribe already owns and operates Turtle Creek Casino & Lodge in Williamsburg, and Leelanau Sands Casino & Lodge in Peshawbestown.
According to the press statement announcing the new venture, the tribe has “complied with the requirements of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA), including requirements set forth by the National Indian Gaming Commission.”
The land where the gaming facility will be housed currently serves as a tribal community center. It sits on land that was formerly placed in a trust prior to the tribe being reinstated with federal recognition in 1980. The GTB was the first Odawa tribe federally recognized in Michigan. It was also one of the first tribal nations in the U.S. to open a casino, which it did in the late 1980s.
Petoskey noted that the tribe had notified both the Office of Indian Gaming and the NIGC in 2023, pursuant to requirements as a federally recognized tribal nation. Those U.S. government agencies have 120 days to object or comment, and have not refused the application.
Caesars Partnership Boosts Grand Traverse Band
The tribe has enjoyed some good fortune when it comes to online casino gambling. The GTB caught a break when Caesars Entertainment, Inc. purchased William Hill PLC back in 2020. The Band teamed with Hill for its online sports betting and casino apps when Michigan launched legal gaming that same year.
Caesars is the the second-biggest partner of any of the tribal license holders. It trails only the duo of DraftKings and the Bay Mills tribe. Both BetMGM and FanDuel are partnered with commercial casinos in Detroit rather than tribal nations.
The partnership with Caesars lends tremendously credibility to the GTB’s gaming ventures. The Turtle Creek Casino is home to a Caesars Sportsbook retail location. Sports bettors in Michigan who choose to use the Caesars Sportsbook or Caesars Palace Casino app do so via a license granted to the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians.
The GTB says it intends to maintain a policy of “maintaining productive, open relationships with neighboring state and local authorities.” The Band also says it has “engaged with relevant state and local officials to apprise them of [plans].”
