 Sep 2009 | GUN LAKE TRIBE'S DREAM FINALLY TAKES SHAPE THE GUN LAKE TRIBE OF THE POTTAWATOMI INDIANS LONG-DREAMED OF GUN LAKE CASINO IS CLOSER TO REALITY, CELEBRATED SEPT.17 BY A CEREMONIAL GROUNDBREAKING IN BRADLEY. IN THE BACKGROUND, PILES OF RUBBLE HAVE ALREADY REPLACED ALL OF THE FORMER AMPRO BUILDINGS BUT ONE, WHICH WILL ALSO BE RAZED. THE OCCASION WAS A CHANCE FOR THE TRIBE TO THANK THOSE WHO SUPPORTED THEM DURING THE DECADE OF LEGAL CHALLENGES AND SETBACKS, TRIBAL CHAIRMAN D.K. SPRAGUE SAID. THE CASINO WILL BE BUILT IN PHASES. THE FIRST PHASE WILL BE AN 83,000 SQUARE FOOT FACILITY COSTING $157 MILLION, ABOUT ONE-HALF OF THE SIZE OF THE INITIALLY PLANNED PROJECT. "GIVEN THE CURRENT ECONOMIC CONDITIONS, IT MAKES SENSE FOR US TO BUILD THIS PROJECT IN PHASES. THIS WILL ALLOW US TO BRING JOBS TO OUR AREA SOONER AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO PLANNING AND DEVELOPING THE NEXT PHASE AS THE ECONOMY RECOVERS," HE SAID. TRIBE VICE CHAIR JOHN SHAGONABY ALSO THANKED SUPPORTERS AND FRIENDS OF GUN LAKE INDIANS OR FOGLI. "WE KNEW THIS DAY WOULD COME. WE BANDED TOGETHER AND STAYED STRONG." CONSTRUCTION WILL TAKE ABOUT A YEAR, AND PROVIDE 750 CONSTRUCTION JOBS. THE CASINO'S FIRST PHASE WILL FEATURE 1,200 SLOT MACHINES, 36 GAME TABLES, ENTERTAINMENT LOUNGE, BAR, 300 SEAT 24/7 RESTAURANT AND THREE FOOD COURTS. IT WILL CREATE 600 DIRECT JOBS, 1,000 INDIRECT JOBS AND MEAN $30 MILLION A YEAR IN DIRECT PURCHASES OF GOODS AND SERVICES. ABOUT $9.1 MILLION WILL GO ANNUALLY TO THE STATE AND $2.3 MILLION TO THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT. JEAN GALLUP  
PHOTO ONE: TRIBAL CHAIRMAN D.K. SPRAGUE WELCOMES THE CROWD AT THE GROUNDBREAKING OF THE GUN LAKE CASINO. PHOTO TWO: TRIBAL OFFICIALS, TRIBAL COUNCIL MEMBERS, FOGLI MEMBERS AND OTHER SUPPORTERS FILL A SHOVEL WITH DIRT TO BREAK GROUND FOR THE NEW CASINO. WBCH  |
