WINNIPEG (CBC) - Members of the Long Plain First Nation have voted overwhelmingly in favour of building a casino on reserve property near Portage la Prairie, Man.

The project was backed by 84 per cent of members who cast ballots in a plebiscite held Thursday on the southern Manitoba reserve.

The result did not come as a surprise to Chief Dennis Meeches, who noted a similar response was recorded in earlier votes.

"The previous referendum vote was held in 2002, and the numbers were similarly high - I think it was well over 80 per cent also back then," he said. "There's a reason for that: people want economic development. People want jobs."

Meeches hopes to hear soon whether the casino project will be approved for the band's property near Portage, which is already home to a gas bar and convenience store and the Indian Residential School Museum of Canada.

"[I'm] not sure when the decision will be made by the province and the [Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs], but we hope it will be in a timely fashion so we can move forward on this project if we're selected," he told CBC News Friday morning.

The provincial government has given the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs approval to build a casino in southwest Manitoba. Both the City of Portage la Prairie and the rural municipality have sent letters in support of Long Plain's bid to the province.

More slots, less smoke at South Beach casino

Meanwhile, the South Beach Casino, located on the Brokenhead First Nation near Grand Beach, is expanding just in time for the start of summer cottage season.

The casino will unveil a new poker room and an addition with 300 new slot machines on Saturday.

The casino is going smoke-free at the same time. The smoking ban was one of the conditions the province laid down when it OK'd the expansion.

The casino was one of the last public places in Manitoba where smoking was allowed, but marketing director Tick Rowson believes customers will accept the ban.

"I don't know if it's just for courtesy or force of habit, but a lot of people still went outside when they lit up," he said. "I think for every one that might not be happy with the smoking policy, two more will be.

"I think we're going to increase [business], because a lot of people would like to come to the casino but for health reasons and for smoke, they did not. And now they will."

The South Beach casino, which opened in 2005, is owned by a consortium of First Nations in the southeast part of the province. A planned resort and conference centre are expected to open on the site in the fall.

LIKE IT?  LET OTHERS KNOW