Native American tribes in Michigan and Minnesota recently shared millions of dollars in casino revenue with state and local governments.
In Michigan, the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians, typically known as the Gun Lake Tribe, owners of the Gun Lake Casino in Wayland, announced it contributed more than $5.2 million to the state, more than $2.2 million to local boards and $1.5 million to an economic development entity through its revenue sharing program. The figures are based on revenue from electronic gaming posted between April 1 and September 30.
To date the tribe has shared $118.3 million with state and local governments in more than 16 distributions since the Gun Lake Casino, which employs 1,000 workers, opened in February 2011.
Gun Lake Tribe Chairman Bob Peters said, “This revenue sharing distribution validates development decisions made by Tribal Council and casino management to study market demand and place value on guest experience. Our economic impact study confirms that our success supports thousands of great jobs while providing substantial benefits to Michigan’s economy.”
A recent economic impact study by the Innovation Group indicated the tribal government, casino and Gun Lake Investments added $1.5 billion to Michigan’s economy from 2011-2017. The tribe has an annual economic impact of $228 million and supports 2,600 jobs.
Under its state gaming compact, the Gun Lake Tribe holds exclusive gaming rights within the competitive market area that includes the cities of Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, and Lansing, and Kent, Kalamazoo and Ingham counties.
In Minnesota, the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community, owner of Mystic Lake Casino Hotel and Little Six Casino in Prior Lake, announced it has donated more than $5 million to 11 other Indian nations and 13 nonprofits. The largest single philanthropic benefactor in Indian Country, the tribe has contributed more than $350 million in the past quarter-century. Last year, it gave nearly $18 million for a wide range of programs and causes.
Tribal Chairman Charles R. Vig said, “Our tribe is guided by the Dakota tradition of sharing our resources for the greater good. We’re proud to support meaningful projects like these that will benefit Native American communities here in Minnesota and across the country. A tradition of helping others has defined our people, the Mdewakanton Dakota, through times of hardship and through times of prosperity.”
