Marky Mark Announces Commitment to Little River Holdings

Little River Holdings partners with Wahlburgers

By Lynda Wheatley | July 31, 2021

We love our Five Guys burgers (if you haven’t tried one, get to Gaylord, stat), but there could be some more competition coming to the quick-and-delicious burger market Up North.

Wahlburgers, the burger-based restaurant franchise owned by celebrity brothers and actors Mark and Donnie Wahlberg and their brother Chef Paul Wahlberg, recently entered a partnership with Little River Holdings, the economic development arm of the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians.

While no formal plans have been announced regarding a Wahlburgers restaurant in the Little River Casino Resort in Manistee, the partnership means Little River Holdings has the exclusive rights for Wahlburgers franchises at tribally owned locations throughout the United States and Canada.

Paul and Mark Wahlberg announced Wahlburgers’ partnership alongside officials from Little River Holdings at the National Indian Gaming Association’s annual Indian Gaming Tradeshow and Convention, held in Las Vegas at the end of July. The brothers said they hope to develop 125 Wahlburgers restaurants throughout Indian Country within the next few years. During the convention, National Indian Gaming Association Chairman Ernie Stevens Jr. awarded the Chairman’s Business Leadership Award to Mark Wahlberg, Paul Wahlberg, and Little River Holdings Chairman Frank Lewis for their commitment to building their business with Indian gaming casinos. 

Wahlburgers has 49 franchises in the United States, as well as locations in Canada and Germany. Earlier this year, following a January partnership agreement with United Cinemas, Mark Wahlberg announced the franchise’s intention to open more than 20 standalone restaurants and in-cinema locations in Australia and New Zealand.