White Earth Nation wants to build a casino, resort and convention center on the outskirts of Moorhead.

The project doesn't have a price tag or timeline, but tribal leaders are in the beginning stages of garnering support of governing bodies that would have to sign off on it. Already there are signs of resistance from residents mirroring what happened in 2018 when the tribe abandoned a controversial casino plan in Otter Tail County.

Tribal leaders went before the Clay County Board on Tuesday to share their vision for the land the tribe purchased along Interstate 94 in November. They hadn't unveiled their intentions for that land until this week.

"Our first stop is with you guys," Tribal Chair Michael Fairbanks told commissioners when asking them to sign a letter of support to start the process.

The board didn't take any action, but some commissioners expressed support while others echoed citizens' concerns over property tax abatement and impacts on the aquifer. Next steps for tribal leaders include going before the Moorhead and Dilworth city councils on Monday.

Commissioner Jenny Mongeau said she appreciated the early dialogue and remains open-minded and excited about the prospect of having a convention center to compete with Fargo that would instead bring events and concerts to Clay County.

"As a Clay County kid who grew up here, I think it's really exciting about having additional opportunities for folks to either relocate to Clay County, but also have fun in Clay County. … For once we're having a discussion that maybe trumps conversations on the North Dakota side about convention space," she said. "How great that we have something over here proposed."

Moorhead is in the midst of revitalizing its downtown with a new mall expected to be an economic boon for the area.

The tribe is already poised to do business in Moorhead with a cannabis dispensary set to open any day, as soon as a compact agreement with the state is finalized to allow White Earth to operate off tribal lands.

This will be the state's first off-reservation cannabis dispensary. Waabigwan Mashkiki, White Earth's cannabis company, opened its flagship dispensary in Mahnomen in 2023.

The shop in Moorhead is a former bar and restaurant along Hwy. 10 that the tribe bought last May for $850,000.

White Earth Nation — Gaa-waabaabiganikaag in Ojibwe — bought 280 acres east of Moorhead to expand on hotel and casino operations in Mahnomen and Bagley.

Shooting Star Casino in Mahnomen is the tribe's largest employer. Fairbanks said this new casino, resort and convention center would create 450 to 550 jobs.

"A facility of this nature would bring quality jobs, generate meaningful local revenue, and contribute to expanded infrastructure, while also respecting the regulatory framework and values of all governments involved," he said in a statement to the Minnesota Star Tribune.

Federal law gives the band the right to build a casino on trust land set aside during treaty settlements. This means a tribe operating a casino on trust land is not subject to state or local taxes.

Farmers and commissioners were curious whether the entire development would have to go into trust land, and tribal leaders said no. Clay County would want to maintain some of the property tax revenue from the plot, as the tribe is currently paying the county $14,000 a year for it.

White Earth is the state's largest reservation but owns 10% of tribal lands, according to the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council.

The reservation in northwestern Minnesota, 70 miles east of Fargo-Moorhead, contains 829,440 acres in Mahnomen County and portions of Becker and Clearwater counties.

Seven years ago, it backed out of plans to build a casino in rural Otter Tail County near Dent, featuring a hotel, restaurants, conference center and RV park.

The project was met with intense opposition from local residents fearing impact on wetlands and the area's rural character. Residents at the meeting Tuesday were also concerned about environmental impacts.

"We're well aware of protecting water," Fairbanks told Commissioner David Ebinger, who said the primary concern of the county is preserving the aquifer.

Glyndon Township Supervisor John Winter asked for impact studies on the environment and crime, as he said the Sheriff's Office could have an increased burden.

"Who's going to take the cost of that when the land trust comes in?" Winter said.

The tribe has yet to apply for land trust. White Earth needs to enter a cooperative aid agreement with the Bureau of Indian Affairs regional office in Bloomington to begin that process. Ultimately the secretary of the Interior has to take the land into trust for the benefit of the tribe.

Fairbanks said in a statement to the Star Tribune that he believes this project could serve as model of "intergovernmental partnership."

"The development of a tribally owned and operated gaming facility on off-reservation land within Clay County represents a significant opportunity for economic growth — not only for the White Earth Nation's people, but also for the broader county and surrounding communities."