Sault Tribe’s Bid for a Detroit-Area Casino Meets Supreme Court Denial

After more than 10 years of legal maneuvering, the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians has reached the end of the line in its ambitions to establish a casino near Detroit. The US Supreme Court recently declined to hear the tribe’s appeal, upholding lower-court rulings that blocked the federal government from taking land into trust, a fundamental step for tribal gaming operations.

The Tribe Exhausted All Legal Options

The Supreme Court’s refusal effectively shuts the door on the Sault Tribe’s aspirations to break into southern Michigan’s more lucrative gaming markets. The tribe previously petitioned the US Department of the Interior to place 71 acres of land near New Boston’s Detroit Metro Airport into federal trust status under provisions of the Michigan Indian Land Claims Settlement Act (MILCSA), paving the way for a new casino.

The Sault Tribe purchased the land at the center of the dispute in 2012 using money from its Self-Sufficiency Fund, established under the MILCSA. The fund was established to help tribes invest in sustainable economic development and support services. However, a 2017 Interior Department verdict ruled that using the fund for a casino project didn’t qualify under the law’s intended uses.

In its appeal, the tribe argued that the denial “forever impaired” its ability to seek economic self-sufficiency. Federal courts remained skeptical, with the D.C. Circuit Court last year confirming the Interior Department’s verdict. The court concluded that simply acquiring land did not meet the Act’s requirement of “enhancing tribal lands,” necessary to tap into certain tribal settlement funds.

Tribal Casino Expansion Is Rarely Straightforward

This legal loss could deal a significant blow to the tribe’s long-term economic plans and its broader diversification efforts. The Sault Tribe operates five casinos in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. While these properties perform well within their local markets, they are far from the Lower Peninsula’s population density and tourist destinations.

A February ransomware attack added to the tribe’s recent challenges, disrupting its casino and governmental systems. The incident temporarily suspended hotel check-ins and shut down several community-facing services. While normal operations have since been restored, the attack exposed vulnerabilities in the tribe’s digital infrastructure and caused reputation and revenue losses.

Despite setbacks, tribal officials have not ruled out future economic projects. However, they must contend not only with regulatory hurdles but also with local competition. Two other Michigan-based tribes vocally opposed the Sault Tribe’s Detroit project, underlining the complex challenges inherent in any tribal casino expansion efforts.