Plans Include 120-Room State-of-the-Art
Hotel, 64,000-Square-Foot Gaming
Floor, Restaurants, Shops, and
Entertainment Venues
.
PESHAWBESTOWN, Mich., Sept. 19, 2006 - Ron Olson, CEO of Grand Traverse
Resort & Casinos, which is owned and operated by the Grand Traverse
Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, has announced plans to develop a new
casino resort at the site of the current Turtle Creek Casino in Williamsburg,
near Traverse City, Mich.
An October groundbreaking is planned for the 347,000-square-foot casino
resort, which will include a 120-room state-of-the-art hotel,
64,000-square- foot gaming floor, concert/entertainment venues, restaurants,
and shops.
The architectural firm of Walsh Bishop in Minneapolis, Minn. was hired
to design the new casino resort. Walsh Bishop designs of note include the
300,000-square-foot Isleta Resort & Casino in Albuquerque, N.M. and
the 370,000-square-foot Mystic Lake Casino in Prior Lake, Minn. Financing
will be through National City Bank and PCL Construction Services, Inc.
in Burnsville, Minn. was hired to oversee construction.
Tribal Chairman Robert Kewaygoshkum stated, "This is an exciting time
for the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians. We are very
proud of the success of our businesses and their financial benefits for
our people and the economy of the Grand Traverse region. Our sustained
success is allowing us to further invest in the tourism infrastructure
of the Traverse City area."
Olson stated, "Our new casino resort will be unique to the Midwest
in its design and business model. We will provide an enjoyable and secure
gaming experience that our casinos have become renowned for, while bringing
Midwest casino excitement and entertainment to a completely new level.
It will be a truly outstanding experience for Northern Michigan residents
and an exceptionally attractive vacation destination for guests from other
regions."
During construction of the new casino resort, the Tribe's existing
Turtle Creek Casino will remain in operation and will close when the new
casino resort opens. The Grand Traverse Band also plans to continue
owning and operating Leelanau Sands Casino in Peshawbestown and Grand Traverse
Resort & Spa in Acme.
Grand Traverse Resort & Casinos is the Economic Development Corporation
of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, which owns and
operates Leelanau Sands Casino in Peshawbestown and Turtle Creek Casino
in Williamsburg. The Grand Traverse Band has been in the casino gaming
business since 1984, and owns and operates other economic development ventures
including Grand Traverse Resort & Spa, four miles west of Turtle Creek
Casino. In addition, the Tribe also owns and operates one hotel, several
restaurants, a conference center, and a convenience store.
In fiscal 2005, (October 2004 - September 2005), the Grand Traverse
Band's economic impact included nearly $115.5 million in gross revenues,
over $33 million in combined payroll, $5 million in federal, state and
local taxes, and business relationships with over 400 vendors in the region.
In addition, since 1994, the Grand Traverse Band has paid out $18 million
in 8 percent state government revenue sharing payments and $17 million
in 2 percent revenue sharing payments to local governments.
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