Misplaced Pages

#364635

56-636: The casino opened in 2000, under the majority ownership of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians . It was the only casino in Detroit controlled by a Native American tribe. In 2008, during the Great Recession , the casino went into bankruptcy and was sold. Hollywood Casino is one of three casinos in the city; there is also a casino in nearby Windsor, Ontario . Detroit is one of the largest American cities to offer casino hotels. Shortly after

112-468: A boulevard or multiple one-way streets , or upgrading the existing freeway right-of-way to include bike lanes and other pedestrian-friendly features. In January 2016, the department announced that any decision on a course of action would be delayed indefinitely. However, in May 2017, MDOT announced it was going forward with an environmental assessment to identify a preferred alternative. In December 2017,

168-732: A Title I Distinguished School Award; it was one of 95 schools honored among the 48,000 Title I schools nationwide. Other tribal endeavors include building the Chi Mukwa (Big Bear) Recreation Center in Sault Ste. Marie. It offers Olympic and NHL -size ice rinks, a basketball court, a volleyball court, aerobics room, and fitness areas. The Tribe publishes a monthly newspaper, Win Awenen Nisitotung , which in Ojibwe means "he/she/or one, who well or fully understands." The newspaper

224-401: A boulevard to reduce maintenance cost. This change would make the area more pedestrian-friendly and bring new developers and residents into the neighborhood. Converting this segment of the freeway and its right-of-way to a boulevard would free up 12 acres (4.9 ha) of land for development. The department invited businesses and other groups affected by the potential project to participate in

280-422: A group of local black investors. However, gaming regulators found problems during Gatzaros and Papas's background checks, and they were effectively forced to sell their shares. Negotiations were held with potential buyers including Millennium Management, Harrah's Entertainment , MGM Grand , and Park Place Entertainment . Advanced talks were held on selling the shares to a group of union pension funds . Ultimately,

336-557: A historic reservation from a previous treaty. As part of the process, the federal government took land in trust for the tribe by deed dated May 17, 1973, and approved by the Bureau of Indian Affairs on March 7, 1974. The Commissioner of Indian Affairs formally declared the trust land to be a reservation for the tribe on February 20, 1975, with notice published in the Federal Register on February 27, 1975. The reservation land

392-692: A late tribal leader who helped develop the tribe's first housing, education, and health programs. Open to all students in the community, Bahweting has achieved progress. It offers an introduction to the Anishnaabe language, culture and values. The school was awarded the Governor of Michigan's Gold Apple Award for outstanding student performance in the ‘Most Improved’ category on the Michigan Education Assessment Program (MEAP) tests. The U.S. Department of Education gave it

448-558: A majority interest. They filed for bankruptcy protection in 2008, during the Great Recession . In June 2010 the Michigan Gaming Control Board voted 4–0 at a special meeting to transfer ownership from the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians to new investors. The tribe's participation in the Greektown Casino created state support for authorization of three casinos in Detroit. These have provided

504-488: A new 13-story, 3,500-space, free parking garage. In November 2008, 25,000 square feet (2,300 m) of additional gaming space was completed and opened over Lafayette. Total gaming space comprised 100,000 square feet (9,300 m). An expanded and re-designed VIP gaming area opened in February 2009. In November 2009, 25,000 square feet (2,300 m) of convention space opened with a newly designed poker room. By late 2007,

560-454: A new facility. The $ 200-million expansion would include a 400-room hotel, a parking garage, convention space, and more gaming space. In June 2006, site preparation began for the hotel. A city-owned parking garage was demolished to make way for redevelopment. Construction began in October 2006. The hotel tower rises 344 ft. (105 m.) with 30 floors. It opened November 15, 2007, and included

616-641: A preference for proposals that had already been approved by Detroit voters, making the Greektown and Atwater projects the "presumptive choices" for two of the casino licenses. The petition drive and election campaign were financed almost entirely by the Sault Tribe and Atwater. Michigan voters approved the law in November 1996. The Greektown casino was one of eleven applications submitted to Detroit mayor Dennis Archer . The $ 567-million proposal would include

SECTION 10

#1732780783365

672-467: A series of surveys on its highways in the state to measure traffic volume. In 2009, MDOT calculated that 14,112 vehicles per day used the southernmost section of I-375 on average and 53,900 vehicles used the northernmost section near I-75. These vehicles included 798 trucks. Construction on the first segments of the Chrysler Freeway started on January 30, 1959. The area where

728-599: A temporary casino to open in 1998, followed by a permanent casino opening in 2000 with 128,170 square feet (11,907 m) of gaming space and 1,000 hotel rooms. The temporary casino was designed by architect Paul Steelman . It would be managed by the Las Vegas-based Millennium Management Group . In December 1997, Archer selected the Greektown proposal, along with the Atwater project (ultimately opened as MotorCity Casino Hotel ) and

784-481: A tribe's reservation after 1988. Engler rejected the casino, citing potential proliferation of off-reservation casinos throughout the state. The tribe next turned to the ballot initiative process. They partnered with the Atwater group to sponsor the Michigan Gaming Control and Revenue Act . This law would allow up to three private, commercially operated casinos to be opened in Detroit. It included

840-586: Is state recognized . Based on a 1993 compact with the state, the tribe operates five casinos under the Kewadin Casinos name in Sault Ste. Marie, St. Ignace , Manistique , Christmas and Hessel . The tribe also owns and manages hotels at the Christmas, Sault Ste. Marie and St. Ignace casino sites. These tribal enterprises operate at a profit, generating revenues for the tribe. The tribe formerly operated Detroit's Greektown Casino , where they held

896-622: Is a federally recognized Native American tribe in what is now known as Michigan 's Upper Peninsula . The tribal headquarters is located within Sault Ste. Marie , the major city in the region, which is located on the St. Marys River. Originally a part of the homelands of the Oc̣eṭi Ṡakowiƞ (Dakota, Lakota, Nakoda, or Sioux), who were pushed westward by the Anishinaabe Migration from the east coast, this location became known as Bawating by

952-483: Is also a significant and historic relation with Garden River First Nation , also known as Ketegaunseebee ( Gitigaan-ziibi Anishinaabe in the Ojibwe language), an Ojibwa band located at Garden River 14 near Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada. Several thousand Mackinac Band members continue to work to gain independent federal recognition. They have formed the Mackinac Bands of Chippewa and Ottawa Indians , which

1008-509: Is commonly referred to as the WAN . The tribe operates two Midjim convenience stores, one in Sault Ste. Marie and the other located in St. Ignace. These offer discounted gasoline and cigarettes for tribal members. Interstate 375 (Michigan) Interstate 375 ( I-375 ) is a north–south auxiliary Interstate Highway in Detroit , Michigan, United States. It is the southernmost leg of

1064-523: Is located in both the city of Sault Ste. Marie and in Sugar Island Township , on Sugar Island (Sugar Island part at 46°28′19″N 84°12′44″W  /  46.47194°N 84.21222°W  / 46.47194; -84.21222 ) east of the city. Since formal recognition in 1972, the tribe has increased in number of members. It has approximately 40,000 members on its rolls. In the 21st century, many Sault Tribe members live off-reservation in

1120-823: Is the largest federally recognized tribe in Michigan, outnumbering the next largest tribe, the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians , by a scale of about 10 to one. It was recognized in 1972 with five units in seven counties. In 1979 the tribal council included the Mackinac Band as members, nearly doubling its enrollment. The tribe's revenues from its Kewadin Casinos has enabled it to establish health centers and invest in education for its members. The Sault Tribe operates its own government, with regular elections for chairperson and council members. Council members represent

1176-597: The Detroit–Windsor Tunnel at Randolph Street. Jefferson Avenue past that intersection is M-10 . BS I-375 runs next to the Renaissance Center and under a segment of the People Mover . This designation was created in 1964. The 2009 traffic surveys by MDOT reported that 33,376 vehicles, including 922 trucks, had used BS I-375 on an average day. Major junctions The entire highway

SECTION 20

#1732780783365

1232-562: The Federal Highway Administration returned a finding of no significant impact , allowing the project to enter its design phase. On September 15, 2022, it was announced by US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg that the state of Michigan had received a $ 105 million federal grant from the Infrastructure for Rebuilding America grant program for the project; reactions to the announcement were mixed at

1288-633: The Great Lakes region since about 1200CE. They were part of a wide trading network. The modern Sault Tribe is descended from Ojibwe ancestors who lived on Sugar Island in the St. Mary's River between the U.S. state of Michigan and the Canadian province of Ontario , and in the area. The Sault Tribe gained federal recognition by the United States Commissioner of Indian Affairs on September 7, 1972. The tribe did not have

1344-588: The Walter P. Chrysler Freeway and a spur of I-75 into Downtown Detroit , ending at the unsigned Business Spur I-375 (BS I-375), better known as Jefferson Avenue . The freeway opened on June 12, 1964. At only 1.062 miles (1.709 km) in length, it once had the distinction of being the shortest signed Interstate Highway in the country before I-110 in El Paso, Texas , was signed. The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) announced in 2021 plans to convert

1400-495: The 1950s and 1960s, many lower-class African-American residents lived in overcrowded and run-down housing in Black Bottom. These residents could not afford to maintain their homes because of their low income, leading outsiders to view the area as neglected and in need of updating and development. The area, like Corktown to the west of downtown, was targeted by urban planners for urban renewal and infrastructure improvements in

1456-499: The 1950s and 1960s, which included the Chrysler Freeway and public housing projects. In the case of the construction of the Chrysler Freeway, some of the most crucial entertainment and cultural communities in Detroit, Black Bottom, and Paradise Valley were destroyed. On June 12, 1964, a surface street highway/freeway in Detroit that ran north from Jefferson Avenue and Randolph Street to the Fisher/Chrysler freeway interchange

1512-514: The Anishinaabe (the Ojibwe or Chippewa), who arrived there before Europeans showed up in the mid-to-late 16th century. Bawating , sometimes seen written as Baawiting or Bahweting , is an Ojibwe word meaning "The Gathering Place." The Chippewa participated in trading with other tribes, and later with the French, British and American traders here in turn. The Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians

1568-608: The Fisher Freeway which carries I-75 north of downtown. At this interchange, I-75 takes ramps to leave the Fisher Freeway and uses the Chrysler Freeway, replacing I-375. I-375 is a four-lane freeway south of the I-75 interchange, where it widens to six lanes. As with all other Interstate Highways, the entire length of I-375 is included on the National Highway System , a network of roadways that are important to

1624-477: The Joseph K. Lumsden Bahweting Anishnaabe Public School Academy in Sault Ste. Marie. This is operated independently as both a Bureau of Indian Affairs school and a Michigan charter school. It was founded to offer an alternative to Sault Ste. Marie Area Schools , from which "Chippewa County" Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians</ref> students had a high drop-out rate. The school was renamed in 1998 to honor Lumsden,

1680-834: The Lansing Promise to provide college scholarships for graduates of the city's schools." The casino is proposed to be built next to the Lansing Center, blocks from the state capitol building. The Department of Interior will take the land into trust which the Sault Tribe bought from Lansing. The tribe has reinvested revenues from the casino/hotel operations to build infrastructure for the welfare and education of its people. It operates six health centers for its members, with locations in Sault Ste. Marie, St. Ignace, Manistique, Munising, Newberry, and Hessel. The tribe also has emphasized education for its youth, offering several college scholarships for members. The tribe helped found

1736-563: The Lansing project violated the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act and the 1993 compact which the tribe had made with Gov. John Engler when it established its first casinos. In September 2015 a judge dismissed the state's lawsuit seeking to block a casino in downtown Lansing. The mayor of Lansing has publicly supported the project, saying that the casino "would bring thousands of good-paying jobs to Lansing and fully fund

Hollywood Casino at Greektown - Misplaced Pages Continue

1792-566: The Tribal Council in 1996. He was elected as chairman in 2004, defeating a 17-year incumbent. In 2008 he lost his race for re-election to Joe Eitrem, but was re-elected in 2012, 2016 and 2020. The tribe operates its own police department and tribal court. For hundreds of years preceding modern European contact, the Sault (Soo) Band ancestors were part of the large Lake Superior Band of Chippewa Indians . The Ojibwe (known as Chippewa in

1848-642: The United States) were known to have migrated over centuries from the Atlantic Coast. They historically spoke the Ojibwe language , one of numerous Algonquian languages . Chiefs whose signatories identified them as members of the Sault (Soo) Band and other bands were among those in the region signing treaties with the United States in 1820. Ancestors of the tribe are believed to have lived in

1904-477: The Upper and Lower Peninsulas of Michigan, about one third live throughout the United States and Canada, and on other continents. At any given time, significant numbers are serving in the military. In 1979 the Tribal Council passed a resolution allowing Mackinac Band members to enroll in the tribe, which doubled the number of enrolled members. In the 21st century, the Sault Tribe consists of more than 20 bands. There

1960-519: The casino out of bankruptcy. John Hancock Financial , OppenheimerFunds , Brigade Capital , and Solus Alternative Asset Management together owned 78% of the company. Rock Gaming , owned by Dan Gilbert , agreed in January 2013 to buy a majority stake in the Greektown Casino. This was part of Gilbert's plan of investment to help revitalize downtown Detroit. In February 2016, it was announced as part of Rock Gaming's rebranding as Jack Entertainment that

2016-444: The casino was in financial trouble, as its debt-to-equity ratio fell below the minimum threshold negotiated with the lenders who financed the expansion. The state threatened to force a sale unless the casino could obtain new financing. In May 2008, Greektown Casino filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection to prevent the forced sale. In June 2010, a group of Greektown's bondholders, organized as Greektown Superholdings, Inc., bought

2072-472: The casino. Development of the city's permanent casinos was delayed for years by protracted negotiations over the casinos' locations, and by a lawsuit over the constitutionality of the casino licensing process. In 2002, Greektown agreed with the city to build its $ 450-million permanent facility on an 8-acre (3.2 ha) site at Interstate 375 and Gratiot Avenue. In 2005, however, Greektown announced that it would expand at its current location instead of building

2128-775: The country's economy, defense, and mobility. According to MDOT , I-375 is 1.062 miles (1.709 km). At the time it opened until at least 2007, I-375 was the shortest signed Interstate in the country. Based on Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) data, there are three Interstates that are shorter: I-110 in Texas (0.92 mi or 1.48 km), I-878 in New York (0.70 mi or 1.13 km), and I-315 in Montana (0.83 mi or 1.34 km). The latter two designations are not signed on their respective roadways, and I-110 in Texas has since been signed. Every year, MDOT conducts

2184-488: The department announced that they were down to two alternatives, both of which involved replacing the freeway with a boulevard. Both alternatives presented included a four-lane surface boulevard between Gratiot Avenue and Atwater Street. In January 2020, the State Transportation Commission removed the project from its five-year plan citing other priorities, pushing the potential completion of

2240-472: The enactment of the federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) in 1988, the Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians began working with local developers Ted Gatzaros and Jim Papas to open a casino in Detroit. In November 1992, they announced their plan publicly. Under the plan, Gatzaros and Papas's company, 400 Monroe Associates, would donate a 0.7-acre (0.28 ha) parcel of land in Greektown to become part of

2296-452: The freeway and in the downtown area note the improved access I-375 provides to the area as reasons to retain the freeway. Six alternative proposals for rebuilding I-375 were unveiled by MDOT in June 2014. They ranged in price from $ 40 million to $ 80 million (equivalent to $ 50.7 million–101 million in 2023 ). These options included rebuilding the freeway as is, reducing it to

Hollywood Casino at Greektown - Misplaced Pages Continue

2352-612: The freeway to a boulevard. Details of that project were revealed in April 2023 with MDOT reaffirming that construction is scheduled to begin in 2025. I-375 and the Chrysler Freeway begin at Jefferson Avenue between St. Antoine Street and Beaubien Street in Downtown Detroit near the Renaissance Center . The freeway runs east before turning north. Just about a mile (1.6 km) after the southern terminus, I-375 meets

2408-504: The freeway was built was called Black Bottom , a historic district that received its name from the soil found there by French explorers. In the 1940s and 1950s, the area was home to a community of African-American entrepreneurs and businesses that rivaled Harlem in New York City. Black Bottom was one of the oldest neighborhoods in the city, and, at the time of freeway construction, it had wooden sewers and dilapidated buildings. In

2464-512: The full project were estimated at $ 250 million, including $ 200 million for the reconstruction of the interchange, $ 50 million for the boulevard, and $ 20 million for reconstruction of Gratiot Avenue east of the intersection. In November 2021, Governor Gretchen Whitmer requested funding for the project from the United States Department of Transportation under the newly created Reconnecting Communities program. In March 2022,

2520-454: The operating business. It leased the property from Vici for $ 56 million per year. In December 2020, a new Barstool Sportsbook was opened on the second floor, offering sports betting and dining. In May 2022, the casino was rebranded under Penn's Hollywood Casino brand. In April 2024, the casino's sportsbook was relaunched as the ESPN Bet sportsbook, coinciding with the 2024 NFL draft ; it

2576-404: The project back to 2027. A refined locally preferred alternative consisting of a boulevard aligned within the southbound lanes of the current freeway was chosen in January 2021. The proposed boulevard is six lanes between the interchanges with I-75 and Jefferson Avenue, and four lanes in width south of Jefferson; it also includes a two-way cycle track on the east side of the boulevard. Costs for

2632-475: The property would be renamed to Jack Detroit Casino–Hotel Greektown. Plans for the name change were canceled in March 2018, as Gilbert was planning to sell the property and exit the casino business. In May 2019, Vici Properties and Penn National Gaming (now Penn Entertainment) jointly bought Greektown from Jack Entertainment. Vici paid $ 700 million for the real estate assets, while Penn National paid $ 300 million for

2688-439: The proposed MGM Grand Detroit . Construction of the casino began in January 1999. It incorporated Trappers Alley, a vacant shopping center owned by Gatzaros and Papas, together with a new building. Costs of the casino, originally estimated at $ 115 million, increased to $ 200 million. Ownership of the casino was to be split with 50 percent owned by the Sault Tribe, 40 percent by Gatzaros and Papas and their wives, and 10 percent by

2744-465: The region and state with employment and income. In 2011 the tribe said it was considering development of additional downstate casinos in Romulus and the state capital of Lansing . These were proposed to be built on land the tribe owned but which had not yet been put in trust by the federal government. Both projects were challenged in court cases. Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette contended that

2800-408: The study in November 2013. Advocates of the conversion cite increased pedestrian access and an improved connection between Eastern Market and downtown as reasons to remove the freeway. Also, because the freeway has outdated geometric conditions, such as ramp widths and curvature, the high crash rates and congestion of I-375 are used to support the freeway's removal. Some people who live or work along

2856-407: The time. MDOT announced that construction would start in 2025 with an expected completion in 2028. The entire highway is in Detroit , Wayne County . All exits are unnumbered. Business Spur Interstate 375 ( BS I-375 ), which is 0.167 miles (0.269 km) long, is an unsigned business route that continues west on Jefferson Avenue from the southern end of I-375, ending at the entrance to

SECTION 50

#1732780783365

2912-517: The tribe bought out the Gatzaroses and Papases' shares for $ 275 million, to be paid over 10 years. The casino licensing was approved in September 2000, with the tribe owning a 90 percent stake. The Greektown Casino opened on November 10, 2000, following the two other casinos that opened the previous year. The tribe ended its management deal with Millennium in 2002 and assumed direct control of

2968-420: The tribe's five units throughout seven counties in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Over one half of the tribe's enrolled members reside outside the five units, but vote within those established units. They vote in a unit where they have significant ancestral or historic ties. In 2012 the current chairman Aaron A. Payment was elected by the largest majority in the tribe's modern history. He had first been elected to

3024-669: The tribe's reservation, and the tribe would build and operate the casino. Detroit voters approved an advisory referendum in favor of the casino in August 1994, as well as another casino proposed to be built at Atwater Street. The plan was approved by the Secretary of the Interior later that month. However, it also needed approval from Michigan Governor John Engler , because the IGRA required gubernatorial approval for gaming on lands added to

3080-427: Was Penn's first retail sportsbook under the new branding. 42°20′04″N 83°02′28″W  /  42.33447°N 83.04117°W  / 42.33447; -83.04117 Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians The Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians (pronounced "Soo Saint Marie", Ojibwe : Baawiting Anishinaabeg ), commonly shortened to Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians or the more colloquial Soo Tribe ,

3136-418: Was opened. The southernmost segment, built through the Black Bottom neighborhood, was designated I-375 at this time. The freeway cost $ 50 million to build (equivalent to $ 376 million in 2023 ). In April 2013, MDOT announced that it was studying whether to repair the freeway at a cost of $ 80 million (equivalent to $ 103 million in 2023 ) or convert the freeway south of Gratiot Avenue into

#364635