Four Winds Casino revenue dispute still unresolved

by Samuel King (king@wsbt.com)

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Dispute over revenue from Four Winds Casino in New Buffalo

Local governments and schools in Berrien County still have not received their share of the revenue from Four Winds Casino in New Buffalo. The Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians has put the millions in an escrow account until a disagreement over how the money will be divided is resolved. (WSBT photo)

By Tiffany Griffin

Story Created: Apr 14, 2008 at 9:54 AM EST

Story Updated: Apr 15, 2008 at 8:04 AM EST

NEW BUFFALO — Local governments and schools are still waiting for their cut of the profits from the Four Winds Casino in New Buffalo.

Berrien County officials projected $5.7 million could be available to local governments in the first year of the casino's operation.

But the Pokagon band of Potawatomi Indians is holding on to that money, because of a dispute about how it will be divided.

In the meantime, local governments and New Buffalo Schools have incurred costs relating to the casino.

“You have extra police patrols, things like that are expensive, that are ongoing, that at the present there's no money available to pay them, so it does impact it,” said Larry Clymer, a Berrien County commissioner and chairperson of the Local Revenue Sharing Board.

“It hasn't had a whole lot of impact on us this year, because we already budgeted and set our priorities and stuff for this year, but as the years progress it would begin to affect some things,” said Michael Lindley, Superintendent of the New Buffalo Schools.

The board is moving forward with proposed changes to the bylaws, after suggestions from the New Buffalo Schools and others.

Under the proposal, the Villages of Three Oaks, Grand Beach and Michiana would all receive money for public safety costs related to the casino. However, the proposal would cap the total amount given to those villages, Berrien County, the City of New Buffalo, and New Buffalo Township at $1.8 million.

The leftover money would then be rolled into a new grant fund. Local governments can apply for extra money to deal with the impact of the casino. Still left unresolved is when that money will actually be distributed.

“If we can resolve all of these issues locally, then I think it would be a good message to the state and the tribe, that we've been able to resolve it,” Lindley said. “And believe me, they really would like for us to resolve them, as opposed to them come in and say, 'Here's the way it is.'"

The Board will vote on the changes to the bylaws on April 28. The State and the Pokagon Band are in negotiations about the dispute and possible changes to the Compact between them. There is no word on when those would be settled.

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