Coushatta Casino Resort in Kinder, Louisiana recently celebrated its 25th anniversary.
At the anniversary event, Tribal Chairman David Sickey said, “The Coushatta tribe and tribal council believe it’s very important to recognize this very important milestone in the tribe’s history, prosperity and growth.” He added the casino has positively impacted thousands of people and enterprises throughout Allen Parish and Southwest Louisiana.
As one of the top 10 largest private employers in the state, Sickey said, “On average, we’ve maintained employment levels around 2,200 people over the course of two decades.”
Employees come from a 10-parish area; at least 68 have worked at the venue since it opened. It has an annual payroll of $82.6 million. Sickey noted, “This is a very rural south with farmland and forest, and there’s nothing wrong with that, but in the middle of what some call nowhere, this is one of the largest employers in the state of Louisiana and the largest employer in Allen Parish with progressive work environments and the best employee benefits. Top ranked, not just in Louisiana but nationwide.”
Vice Chairman Kevin Sickey said the casino has come far since it opened in January 1995. The gaming floor has grown from 70,000 square feet to 100,000, and dining options have increased from three to 11. Other amenities include an 18-hole golf course, two hotels, RV park, indoor arena, banquet and conference facilities, three retail shops, convenience store gas station and swimming pool with a lazy river and two giant slides. A new convention center is under construction, Sickey added.
Last year, the state and communities surrounding the casino resort received more than $4.8 million in gaming revenue, and the federal government was paid $12.7 million, Sickey said. Of the $80 million spent on goods and services from suppliers in 2019, $54.7 million went directly to Louisiana-owned businesses, he noted. The tribe also has reinvested $100 million toward future development and expansion. Last year the tribe contributed more than $115,000 to charities, Sickey said.
Casino revenues help fund tribal members’ education, health care, social service programs, tribal police and fire services, tribal court systems, government and much more, he said. The casino also generates tax revenue which helps build local roads, schools, government facilities and other infrastructure.
“You’re experiencing a wonderful example of what focusing on the right priorities can do and how adhering to good sound business principles can do for the success and prosperity of any organization, not just Coushatta Casino Resort. We’re very proud of the fact that a small Native American tribe that numbers less than 1,000 people in Elton, Louisiana, can achieve so much over an extended period of time,” Sickey commented.
