[Villages Kahuna]

We're experiencing the myriad of undesirable developments as the result of a huge Indian-owned casino just off the interstate near New Buffalo, MI. After more than five years of litigation, with the continued support of the Bush administration and the Republican administration in Lansing, the facility finally was built. It is the largest casino east of Las Vegas, including even the biggest in New Jersey.

So far, few if any of the positive results forecast by the developers have enured to the benefit of the locals. The casino sponsor was the Pokagon Indian tribe, of which very few remain; the "real" developer is a casino operator out of Las Vegas who was a huge contributor to the Bush election campaign as well as that of the former Michigan governor who approved the casino license near the end of his term of office. They simply used the few remaining Pokagons--who live near Cleveland, OH by the way--as a front for the new casino. To my knowledge not a single Indian is employed in the casino.

The negotiation of terms between the developer and the local town government regarding governmental support services, police, fire, traffic control, etc. was a mismatch if there ever was one. The experts with high-paid lawyers against the local bumpkins. On weekends, the traffic jam exiting the interstate rivals that of a Florida theme park during Spring Break. All the increased business that the locals expected has never occurred as the result of the casino patron staying put in the casino instead of roaming into the town main street to souvenir shop and eat. Fortunately, we live far enough away from New Buffalo so as not to experience all the bad results of the new casino.

My wife and I will vote a resounding NO to the proposed "horse park", AKA betting parlor. We'd suggest all of you think abou the possible results before you cast your own votes.

By the way, it might be an interesting study to find out which politicians the developer of this facility has contributed to in recent elections. That might tell a lot of the story.