Grand Rapids Mayor George Heartwell, at a city commission meeting Tuesday, disputes Newsweek's article stating the city is "dying." (Jan. 25, 2011)
Heartwell: GR might be ready for casino
Mayor warming up to casino gambling in GR
Updated: Sunday, 06 Feb 2011, 8:48 PM EST
Published : Saturday, 05 Feb 2011, 2:07 PM EST
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) - The mayor of Grand Rapids is warming up to casino gambling in the city.
The Grand Rapids Press says private backers of more casinos in Michigan are launching a petition drive to put the question on a statewide ballot. Possible locations are Grand Rapids, Lansing, Detroit, Romulus, Benton Harbor, Saginaw and Mount Clemens.
Grand Rapids Mayor George Heartwell says he's not a fan of casinos. But if they're opening elsewhere, he says "we may have to have one here."
A casino run by an American Indian tribe is opening Feb. 11 in Allegan County, 20 miles south of Grand Rapids.
Grand Rapids businessman Peter Secchia believes a ballot question to expand casino gambling in Michigan would fail. He says the existing casinos would spend millions of dollars to defeat it.
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