Proposal would add 8 casinos to Mich. lineup

By Tim Martin Associated Press LANSING (AP) -- A campaign seeking to open eight new casinos in Michigan has started to collect signatures in an effort to put its proposal before voters in November, organizers said Tuesday. The Board of State Canvassers approved the size, lettering and other physical features of petition forms that will be circulated by a coalition called Citizens for More Michigan Jobs. The group must collect nearly 323,000 valid voter signatures to put its proposed constitutional amendment on the statewide ballot, and it also would need approval from local voters in each of the proposed casino locations. Among the locations that would get new casinos through the proposal are Detroit, Pontiac, Grand Rapids and Romulus. Others would be in Birch Run, Macomb County's Clinton Township, Wexford County's Clam Lake Township near Cadillac and DeWitt Township in the Lansing area. The proposal will draw opposition from some of the owners of Michigan's 25 existing casinos, but supporters appear confident about their prospects for success. "We feel good about the research that we're doing," said Emily Gerkin Palsrok, a spokeswoman for Citizens for More Michigan Jobs. "We feel good about how the communities are reacting." The coalition, which includes developers and community leaders in the eight locations, figures it needs to raise about $50 million for the campaign. A key pitch to voters will be the potential jobs the casinos would add and the benefits the public will derive from a proposed 23 percent wagering tax. About 30 percent of that tax money would go to public schools, while 20 percent would go to support police and fire services statewide. Another 40 percent would go to counties, cities, townships or other local governments where casinos are located. The remainder of the tax would go to fund road repairs and gambling addiction prevention programs across the state. The tax from casinos within Detroit would be distributed differently, with money going toward police and fire within the city, and schools and road construction statewide. The effort detailed Tuesday is separate from a campaign called Michigan Is Yours, which seeks a ballot drive to open seven casinos across the state. A coalition called Protect MI Vote argues the state already has enough casinos. That coalition includes the MGM Grand and Greektown Casino in Detroit, the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe and the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi. Both of those tribes operate casinos in the state. "This is a huge expansion of gaming," spokesman James Nye said. "We know that the voters of Michigan do not support this." Published: Thu, Apr 5, 2012