Gun Lake pays US$6.9 million to Michigan

Michigan’s casino announced that they paid the millionaire amount based on revenues.

US.- Gun Lake Casino announced that they paid US$3.9 million to the state government and more than US$1.8 million to the local government on revenues generated by electronic gaming devices and slot machines.

The casino owned by the Gun Lake Tribe is forced to pay local governments 2 percent of its slot machine revenues. The compact signed in 2007 establishes that the money is divided between 6 members of a revenue board that then split the amount and funds the Leighton Township, Hopkins Township, Dorr Township, the City of Wayland, Yankee Springs Township, Martin Township, Allegan County, Wayland Township, Allegan Area Educational Service Agency. and Wayland Union Schools. The compact also demands the tribe to pay the state between 8 to 12 percent of revenues generated for the exclusivity of the gaming rights in nine counties.

The tribe withheld payments in 2015 and later reached a settlement in mid 2016 because the payment to the state was below the minimum requirement. Chairman of the Gun Lake Tribe, Scott Sprague, said: “This revenue sharing distribution is the result of government-to-government cooperation for the benefit of all Michiganders. The state revenue sharing payments help to fund economic development projects beyond West Michigan, while the local revenue sharing payments is important for municipal services and public education.”