The Local Revenue Sharing Board, which determines the recipients of funds collected from the gambling profits at Odawa Casino in Petoskey, recently announced funding for 17 local projects. Police and fire protection, recreational opportunities and road and infrastructure improvements are among the projects, which in total will receive $342,119.
The projects awarded funding are:
• Harbor-Petoskey Area Airport Authority, $29,000, Harbor Springs Municipal Airport maintenance
• County of Emmet, $4,052, 11 ballistic armor vests for Sheriff's Department
• County of Emmet, $20,940, two personal watercraft patrol vessels for Sheriff's Department Springvale Township Fire Department,
$7,980, firefighting equipment and training
• Resort-Bear Creek Fire Department, $23,000, all-terrain rescue vehicle
• Resort Township, $54,780, topcoat the southern part of Cemetery Road
• Resort Township, $5,000, establish an authority for U.S. 31 corridor study
• Carp Lake Township, $5,000, Eurasian water milfoil control project
• City of Petoskey/Petoskey High School, $22,000, refurbish Hill Street tennis courts
• Springvale Township, $1,013, information kiosk at Ellsworth Road lake access
• Resort Township, $20,000, purchase Sagimore property on Walloon Lake
• Resort Township, $28,500, playground equipment for East Park
• Resort Township, $17,154, township hall handicap accessible doors
• Springvale/Bear Creek Sewer Authority, $50,000, upgrade existing Bear Creek Township sewers near the casino
• Emmet County, $15,000, Harbor Hall Gamblers' Anonymous program
• Bear Creek Township, $13,700, pave snowmobile club parking lot used for election voting
• North Central Michigan College Foundation, $25,000, construction of health education and science center
The Local Revenue Sharing Board was established in 2000 when the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians was permitted to open a casino in Petoskey. Part of the compact with the State of Michigan required the tribe to give back two percent of net electronic gaming revenues (i.e. slot machines) to local communities.
Since 2000, the two percent has grown from $80,000 the first year to as much as $1.47 million in 2008. This year's total was $1.19 million.
Writer: Sam Eggleston
Source: Les Atchison, Local Revenue Sharing Board
Enjoy this story?
Sign up for free solutions-based reporting in your inbox each week.