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Grand Rapids Chamber Snubbed

MICHIGAN – As reported by the Kalamazoo Gazette: "Vendors from the Kalamazoo area are in. Members of the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce are out.

"That was the first piece of news Wednesday from officials with a proposed Wayland casino during day one of a two-day vendor fair at the Kalamazoo Regional Chamber of Commerce.

"The second piece: The corporate branch of the Gun Lake Band of Pottawatomi Indians, which has plans to build the $250 million casino, wants to partner with local vendors of all types and sizes to purchase the $20 million in goods and services it expects to need annually.

"'The Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce's initial strong opposition cost the tribe millions of dollars in government revenues,' Jason M. Palmer, director of development for the Gun Lake Band, told a morning gathering of about 30 vendors on Wednesday. 'If you are a member of the Grand Rapids Chamber, we are not going to partner with you at this point.'

"He said, however, that hiring other local vendors will be a priority and that small businesses could partner with large ones in meeting many casino needs.

"…The Grand Rapids Chamber commissioned a study that concluded the casino will have a negative economic impact on the region, and it maintains that the operation will represent 'an unfair business model for competition in West Michigan,' [Jared Rodriguez, vice president for public policy and governmental affairs with the Grand Rapids Chamber,] said…"

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