Nooksack River Casino Shuttered

DEMING, Wash. (AP) – The Nooksack River Casino in Deming has closed its doors.

The Bellingham Herald reports a sign on the casino door Friday said it’s closed and that an announcement would come about how people can cash in tickets and chips.

The Nooksack Indian Tribe, which owns the casino, has been in court with lenders for years over unpaid debts that were used for casino renovations.

The casino was renovated with about $15 million in loans that Nooksack Business Corp., an entity owned by the roughly 2,000-member tribe, made payments on for a year before going into default.

Nooksack Indian Tribal Chairman Bob Kelly told members in June of the casino’s possible closing.

Lenders had sought to keep it open in order to recoup some of the loan money.

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Information from: The Bellingham Herald, http://www.bellinghamherald.com