The Muskegon County casino received federal approval for Class II gaming in December 2020. Department of Interior asked the Little River Indians to resubmit their casino application in a new effort state approval. Bureau of Indian Affairs gave federal approval to the casino project last year. After receiving and reviewing the public comments, the U.S. In October 2020 the Bureau of Indian Affairs published a Final Environmental Impact Statement for public review and comments. This is an initial step in the long process towards full and final approval by the federal, state and local governements. In February 2015 the tribe filed its application with the Bureau of Indian Affairs to take the land into federal trust for their proposed casino. The tribe also owns Little River Casino in Manistee, Michigan. The Lakeshore Casino Resort in Muskegon County will be the second casino owned by the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians. It will cost $180M to build and feature 1,700 slot machines, 35 table games and a 220-room hotel.
The casino will be named Lakeshore Casino and Resort. The Little River Band purchased the vacant land a few years afterwards. The racetrack was closed in 2007 and demolished in 2008. The location is near Harvey Street and Hile Road at the former site of the Great Lakes Downs racetrack. The Little River Band of Ottawa Indians plan to build a new casino resort on 60 acres in Fruitport Township near the Lakes Mall.
