New Casino Proposed in Mackinaw City

Eight years after the glamorous Odawa Casino Resort opened in Petoskey, the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians is planning to open another casino in Mackinaw City.

Eric McLester, Odawa Casino Resort general manager, has been with the casino for about a year, but explained that serious discussions about the Mackinaw property started roughly three years ago.

“Ideas of where to put it had been discussed for years prior,” he said, “but the tribe recently signed a gaming contract with the State of Michigan that allowed building a second casino in Emmet County.”

A Nicolet Street property in Mackinaw City has been owned by the tribe for several years; their intent was always to eventually develop the land. The site formerly hosted a motel and then a water park, which was in operation until 2012. The tribe recently removed the waterslides and décor, leaving the arcade building and the administration building for possible future use.

“Several years ago, there were some proposals for a large-scale casino in Mackinaw City, like Petoskey’s Odawa Casino,” McLester said. “They went through a period where they were working to get it to meet with the city's requirements, but internal financing stopped that first idea before it really got going.”

The new approach that seems like it’s going to stick is to construct a more low-key, casual property, a boutique or “parlor” casino solely featuring slot machines and light complimentary beverages like coffee and soda.

“At 5,500 square feet, we’ll be smaller and far less flashy than the Petoskey casino,” McLester said, “but we’ll be adjacent to the freeway (I-75), so we’re hoping this will give people a place to stop on their drives up north to take a break, play some games and hit the shops and restaurants in Mackinaw City.”

“We also hope this will give the people of Mackinaw City and Mackinac Island something different and fun to do in the evenings, as we’ll be open year round, even in the winter. It’ll be like a mini Odawa Casino.”

Under the working name Odawa Casino at Mackinaw City, the building is planned as a metal structure with a pleasant entryway that will complement Mackinaw City’s style, steering clear of too many bright, Vegas-like lights. “We want to fit in with the surroundings and we’re also cognizant of the Dark Sky Park nearby, so we’re not looking at any major lighting features, just some signage,” McLester said. The Mackinaw City casino is part of the tribe’s five-year plan for their properties, which also includes a new hotel attached to their Petoskey casino.

“We’ll be taking a phased approach,” McLester said. “With approval, we hope to break ground this October or November to have the Mackinaw City casino open and ready by May of 2016 with 64 gaming machines. Summer would also be a great opportunity for us to showcase the latest and greatest in new slot machines, since new games are arriving all the time.”

According to this plan, in spring of 2017 an RV park would be established in the green space next to the Mackinaw City casino that could accommodate 26 RVs.

“In 2018, based on demand, we’d look to grow the casino portion there by adding up to 200 more slot machines, and the same in 2019,” McLester said. “By the end of our five-year plan, we’d like to build the building out more and expand the Mackinaw City casino to include 400 machines total.”

The casino would also contribute jobs to the area: 20 employees when it opens and as many as 80 employees by the 400-machine mark.

“The small footprint we’re currently proposing is a test run to see how it goes,” McLester said. “And we’ll grow the property from there, appropriately, based on the need and always fitting in with Mackinaw City.”

If approved, the casino is poised to be a solid addition to Mackinaw City’s already popular lineup of attractions, as Mackinaw City Village Manager David White agreed.

“A subcommittee of the Mackinaw City Council is in the process of reviewing the casino proposal right now,” White said. “If it goes through, yes, it would definitely draw more people to Mackinaw City. We’d hope some, or all, of them would also go stay at our hotels and eat at our restaurants and see everything else that Mackinaw City has to offer.”

A meeting to decide the casino proposal’s fate should take place in early October, White confirmed; they’re currently working with the tribe to iron out the details before making a decision.

“We’ve not said yes or no to anything yet,” White said.

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