NMC, Grand Traverse Band Sign Letter of Intent for Boardman Lake Campus Sale
TRAVERSE CITY — Northwestern Michigan College and the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa & Chippewa Indians agreed to terms in principle for the sale of the Boardman Lake campus from the college to the Band, including a purchase price of $27 million.
Both parties have signed a letter of intent (LOI) to proceed, and NMC has suspended the Request for Proposals (RFP) process it began in October, which led to the Band’s initial offer. The sale could be completed by spring, following due diligence and pending NMC trustees’ approval.
Under the terms of the agreement, The Band has committed to never using the property for gaming activities. The Band has also stated that they will use the property, part of their ancestral homeland, as a centralized governmental services center. They will maintain public access for recreation, including the Boardman Lake loop trail, and lake and river access.
NMC has owned the property since 1989. For 30 years it was the home of the University Center, and more than 10,000 students have earned advanced degrees from four-year partners located there between 1995 to 2025.
Today, however, with different dynamics in higher education and online and hybrid course delivery options, NMC’s University Partners wanted to be on the college’s Front Street campus. That was accomplished in August. Now, NMC President Nick Nissley said it is time for the property to enter its next era.
“We are deeply grateful to the community members and donors whose vision helped make the Boardman Lake Campus a place of opportunity for thousands of learners,” Nissley said. “This next chapter allows us to honor that legacy while investing even more directly in our students, our campus, and the long-term vitality of the region.”
Board of Trustees chair Laura Oblinger, an alumnus of both NMC and two university partners, said the Band’s proposal was thoroughly vetted. The trustees’ duty of fiscal stewardship and sustainability led to their Dec. 15 vote to respond to the Band’s purchase offer.
“This was a decision the Board approached with care,” Oblinger said. “We weighed what the Boardman Lake Campus has meant to our students and our community, and we believe this path best supports NMC’s mission now and into the future.”
Nissley emphasized that the sale proceeds will be directed toward priorities already identified in NMC’s strategic plan and campus master plan, all focused on strengthening student success and the region's future workforce. Those priorities include converting the Osterlin Building into a one-stop Student Success hub, addressing essential campus infrastructure such as a new power plant, and expanding student housing, which is currently at capacity. Together, these long-term priorities represent well over $100 million in planned investments, meaning the sale allows NMC to make meaningful progress, but represents only a portion of what is required.
“This investment gives us momentum, but it doesn’t change the scale of the work ahead,” Nissley said. “Supporting student success and the region’s future will continue to require strong partnerships with donors and the state.”
Release date: January 2, 2026
For more information:
Diana Fairbanks
NMC Associate Vice President of Strategic Communications and Change Initiatives
(231) 392-6082 (mobile - call or text)
dfairbanks@nmc.edu