The original Shooting Star Casino in Mahnomen began as a small bingo hall back in 1991.
A group of concerned citizens in Minnesota have organized to fight against the building of the Shooting Star Casino Star Lake, a casino development planned for the small community of Dent. The group is opposing the new development, because they claim the casino is going to cause environmental damage to their region. The casino is the idea of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe, a Minnesota tribal gaming group which already owns 2 casinos in the state.
The group organizing against the casino is the Star Lake Concerned Citizens Group. The organization’s spokesman, Ty Dayton, spoke at a June 3 meeting to discuss the group’s options in trying to block the casino’s construction. Mr. Dayton urged the residents to speak out about their disdain for the casino.
Call to Action by Ty Dayton
Ty Dayton told the assembly that the residents can have an effect on the development, but they have to make an impact in the near-future. Dayton told those at the meeting, “This is not a done deal. There are still some things we can do to have an impact on this proposed development.”
According to the speaker, the best time to make an impact is before a ground-breaking has happened. Mr. Dayton therefore urged residents to speak out to county, state, and federal officials.
Public Debate about the Wetlands
The Star Lake Concerned Citizens Group’s goal is to create public debate about the environmental impact of the Shooting Star Casino near Dent. Their spokesman said, “It is one of our primary goals to make sure we are trying your best to ensure the process is escalated to an environmental impact statement.”
Ty Dayton said the casino is a threat to the wild rice beds. He emphasized that the wetlands area is under the protection of the Department Of Natural Resources, so the land for the casino development should never have been placed in a trust.
Protected Land under Federal Law
Under federal law, the Department Of Natural Resources is supposed to protect such lands from development. For that reason, the residents need to raise awareness about the danger posed to the wetlands. Dayton said, “The Star Lake Concerned Citizens Group mission statement is to protect, preserve and enhance the environment.”
The Star Lake Concerned Citizens Group is planning to send representatives to meet with other local groups who might want to keep developers from building a casino in the area. That includes the Star Lake Property Owners Association, the Dead Lake Owners Assocation, and other unaffiliated local property owners.
No spokesman for the Ojibwe Tribe has given a public statement on the Star Lake Concerned Citizens Group’s action.
Ojibwe Tribe Casinos
The tribe owns the Shooting Star Casino, Hotel and Entertainment in Mahnomen, Minnesota. The Shooting star has 1,138 gaming machines and 23 gaming tables located on 72,000 square feet of gaming space. The Shooting Star complex includes two hotels with 437 rooms and five sit-down restaurants.
The tribe also owns a Shooting Star Casino in Bagley, was expected to open in the spring of 2016, but reports now suggest the Bagley casino is going to open sometime in the summer of 2016. The Bagley development is a great deal less ambitious than the Manohman casino, which was built in 1991 and has been expanded since. Bill Marsh, the director of the Bagley casino, said the operation has a bar and grill, but it has no hotel. More elaborate amenities might be expected later, but no plans exist, according to Bill Marsh.
About the Ojibwe Nation
The Ojibwe, also known as the Chippewa, are a group of indigenous peoples with communities in the United States and Canada. They have communities in Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin, and North Dakota.
The Ojibwe are the fourth-largest American tribe of Native Americans behind the Navajo, Cherokee, and Lakota. They are the second-largest First Nations tribe in Canada, behind only the Cree. The Ojibwe have Canadian communities in Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec.
