Meanwhile, members of the public sent more than 400 pages of letters and e-mails to the Otter Tail County Board of Commissioners, many opposing the project. Several newly elected members ran on platforms opposing the casino development. Earlier this year, tribal elections installed a new slate of representatives on the tribal council.
The nation “continues to invest in its current gaming facilities,” tribal leaders said in a statement. The White Earth Band already operates casinos in Mahnomen and Bagley. The casino resort complex would have included 180 hotel rooms, 850 slot machines, a full-service spa, an RV park and a convention center capable of hosting gatherings of more than 400 people. The project would have been a drastic departure for Otter Tail County, which boasts more than 100 mom-and-pop resorts. The proposed 270-acre complex, about 190 miles northwest of the Twin Cities, was planned for the shore of Star Lake, home to wild rice beds, wildlife breeding grounds and cabins that have been in families for generations. The Chippewa nation announced that its business committee has rescinded authorization for tribal leadership to pursue the project, which had been met with opposition from many residents concerned about traffic, noise and environmental damage. The White Earth Nation recently canceled a controversial plan for a casino, hotel and event center in rural Otter Tail County.
