A newly-opened casino in neighboring Benzie County may have implications for how much revenue Manistee County organizations receive in future payments from the Little River Casino Resort.
At issue is whether the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians’ newly launched Crystal Shores Casino in Benzonia could draw some patrons away from the Little River Casino Resort in Manistee, potentially decreasing the amount of gaming revenue the Manistee resort collects.
A drop in revenue could, in turn, reduce payments made to the Manistee County Local Revenue Sharing Board, which disburses funds to area organizations in lieu of taxes.
Little River Band of Ottawa Indians ogema Larry Romanelli, who leads the tribe that operates the Manistee-based casino, described his stance on the new Benzie County facility.
