Gun Lake Casino

[GRobserver]

I'm loving this news on many fronts.

[GRDadof3]

I didn't really read through some of the previous posts so I'm sorry in advance if I am repeating what someone else said...but I think this is good for Wayland. Some may not think so - but casinos spur development - take Mount Pleasant for example - although it's slightly out of town - and granted that it has CMU - it has gained quite a lot of development since - and I think this may give Wayland a boost for extra commercial property.

[Yankee Fan]

Prediction for that area: you'll see a Country Inn and Suites and an Applebee's, and that's pretty much it.

Not saying the casino won't be a success, but if you look at Mt Pleasant, that's all there is around the casino is a couple of hotels and a restaurant or two. Nothing like Rivertown Parkway or anything. Unlike a mall, people tend to have casino on the brain, so it's go to the casino, blow everything, eat, drink, win some, blow even more, go home.

[grcitydog]

I agree that in this case there won't be a lot of development around the area. Remember, the casino's primary motivation is to get people to spend all there money there, not in other establishments in the area, so there won't be a lot of restuarants and stores surrounding it; and it won't be a destination for people much farther than GR and Kzoo, so hotels won't be springing up all over. The worst thing will be the increased traffic in the immediate area.

[Veloise]

... The worst thing will be the increased traffic in the immediate area.

[GRDadof3]

I agree, GRDad. Although, I would add maybe one gas station to your list.

I actually think that this will be somewhat good for the convention business in GR. It is not that every convention will come here because we have a casino within 30 miles. I see it as more of a "me, too" on the list of venues that people can visit while here.

[Kayak1]

At what point will the casino market be saturated in West Michigan? With Fire Keepers opening in Battle Creek, it just seems like there are way too many casino's to support. Are more people going to casino's during the current economic conditions or less?

[jbr12]

My guess is less The Casino in Petoskey recently laid off a bunch of workers because of the economic downturn. However, that may be due to the remoteness of the location. Not a lot of immediate population in that area to draw off. A casino near GR or larger metro areas will probably be fine since they won't rely on tourism as much.

[metrogrkid]

Right. I forgot the Mega Marathon station. For another example, look at the area on M-72 near Turtle Creek Casino (between Kalkaska and TC). Turtle Creek has grown pretty huge, but there's still not a lot of development around it other than a few gas stations and a couple of fruit stands in the summer. The casinos probably pull a Meijer move and buy up nearby parcels and block out competing business.

It might take some convention business from Devos Place, but I can't imagine anything more than meetings that just like to set up in a hotel ballroom somewhere (foreclosure seminars, etc.). For which, I would argue they already have those options now around Grand Rapids.

But if you've gone to conventions in other cities, the visitors' packets always advertise local casinos as an amenity (Minneapolis comes to mind with their huge Indian casino on the far South side).

http://www.undercovertourist.com/united-st...ake-casino.html

All this to say again that I don't think the casino is going to hurt downtown, study or no study.

The new Blue Chip Casino tower in Michigan City is not too bad, and wouldn't look bad in downtown GR (Lucien Lagrange design):

http://www.lucienlagrange.com/portfolio/pr...p_casino_hotel/

(click on exterior images)

[Rizzo]

I'm afraid 5$ round trip would drain The Rapid. Maybe looking at upwards of $25 per way. Not to mention that most of the route isn't in the millage rate area. So, I assume that once you exit the service area the subsidization stops and the passenger must pick up the bill. The Rapid could partner with the casino to provide a great deal of the cost, though. Add stops along the way and you have fixed route service that commuters could take advantage of. Allegan's DOT already has service between all the suburbs down there (Wayland, Dorr, Hastings, etc.) and connects them to the Holland area. My fairyland imagination envisioned a downtown casino pumping in major cash money into capital projects for The Rapid.

[Raildudes dad]

I'm afraid 5$ round trip would drain The Rapid. Maybe looking at upwards of $25 per way. Not to mention that most of the route isn't in the millage rate area. So, I assume that once you exit the service area the subsidization stops and the passenger must pick up the bill. The Rapid could partner with the casino to provide a great deal of the cost, though. Add stops along the way and you have fixed route service that commuters could take advantage of. Allegan's DOT already has service between all the suburbs down there (Wayland, Dorr, Hastings, etc.) and connects them to the Holland area. My fairyland imagination envisioned a downtown casino pumping in major cash money into capital projects for The Rapid.

[metrogrkid]

. . . . The Rapid could partner with the casino to provide a great deal of the cost, though. Add stops along the way and you have fixed route service that commuters could take advantage of. Allegan's DOT already has service between all the suburbs down there (Wayland, Dorr, Hastings, etc.) and connects them to the Holland area. . . .

[Veloise]

Rizzo's trying to help all of us get mass transit. IMHO that would take precedence over a gamblers' party bus.

[wingbert]

Rizzo's trying to help all of us get mass transit. IMHO that would take precedence over a gamblers' party bus.

[jthrasher]

Wood TV reports that they are going to break ground on the Sept. 17th but they had to scale back to half of the original size.

I'm glad they are breaking ground but I'm really bummed about the cutback on the size.

Wood TV article