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New Buffalo Has Love/Hate Relationship With Casino

The Four Winds Casino Resort has done a lot for the town of New Buffalo, Michigan, but residents say that the massive slot machine and gambling establishment has also given them cause for worry. The casino built and operated by Lakes Entertainment of Minnesota has brought jobs and renewed economic stimulation to the community, by automatically becoming one of the largest in the Midwest. Yet, residents also say that they have had to deal with the fallout: increased crime and a diminished sense of security, plus increased traffic and congestion. The overall verdict about Four Winds could become very important to Lakes Entertainment on November 4th, when voters in nearby Ohio will go to the polls to decide whether they will have a new slot machine casino of their own, developed by the company.

Lakes Entertainment points to the tremendous economic change that the slot machine and casino gambling establishment has brought to the once-blighted economy of New Buffalo. The casino caters to residents and visitors from all economic strata, with penny slot games sharing space with high roller magnets costing one hundred dollars a spin. The casino is owned by the Pokagon Band of the Potawatomi Indian tribe, which does not release information about playership or income. The results are self-evident, however. Little League teams are fully funded, and the town’s food pantries are filled to capacity. Lakes Entertainment is proud of the fact that Four Winds caters to “Midwestern sensibilities,” with less Las Vegas glamour than practicality of design. Lakes believes that most casino gamblers are recreational in the area.

Back to October 2008 Archive.