LANSING - Mayor Bernero announces plans for building a $245 million casino in downtown Lansing. The announcement was made Monday at a press conference at the Lansing Center. The casino is to be located next to the Lansing Center at Michigan Ave. and Cedar St. The 125,000-square-foot facility would offer up to 3,000 slot machines and 48 gambling tables. The casino would be built on land currently owned by the city. Under the plans, a smaller, temporary casino would open first.
Kewadin Lansing Casino would be owned and operated by the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians.
The mayor says this would create 1,500 permanent jobs and 700 construction jobs.
The tribe estimates the casino will generate $250 million a year in gross revenue.
Mayor Bernero says it will generate about $6 million or more a year in revenue sharing payments to the city. The City of Lansing will use that annual revenue payment from the facility to create the Lansing Promise, a program to fund four-year college scholarships for Lansing School District graduates.
A development agreement between the City of Lansing, Lansing Economic Development Corp., and the Sault Tribe's Kewadin Gaming Authority was to be filed Monday for consideration by the Lansing City Council. The Sault Tribe's Board of Directors is expected to formally consider the agreement Tuesday. The Tribe's intent is to open the casino after receiving federal approval.
Watch News 10 Monday night at 5pm & 6pm for more details on the proposed casino project for downtown Lansing.