Thousands of people attended this year’s Indian Gaming trade show in Phoenix and soon thereafter, National Indian Gaming Association Chairman Ernie Stevens Jr. proclaimed the show a success. The annual showcase for tribal government gaming brought together more than 100 exhibitors and began with a couple days of conference, as well as NIGA meetings and golf tournaments.
The event is also the platform for the major awards given to participants in tribal government gaming.
Richard Tall Bear Westerman was recipient of the 2016 Charlie Hill Spirit Award. Westerman is a native entrepreneur and the son of the late native actor Floyd Red Crow Westerman.
The annual award was presented during the Chairman’s Welcome Reception on Sunday, March 13, 2016, at the Wild Horse Pass Hotel Casino. The award has been presented the past two years to American Indian entertainers who have positively impacted Indian Country. This year’s award went to Westerman in the “spirit” of his father, who was an actor, entertainer and public personality.
Tall Bear Westerman’s father, Floyd Westerman, worked early on as a musician, establishing a successful career as a folk music singer. Later on, Floyd became a leading actor who appeared in dozens of movies and television shows, including Dances with Wolves, recurring roles on Walker, Texas Ranger and Dharma & Greg. Floyd fought fiercely to defend Indian treaty rights and actively fought for the social advancement of Indian people.
NIGA Chairman Emeritus Rick Hill presented the award to Tall Bear Westerman, who was joined on stage by his wife, Charlie’s wife and extended family.
“Richard has demonstrated a strong commitment to bettering the lives of Indian people in the communities he’s served,” said Hill. “He’s someone who had a vision and made that vision come to life, and in doing so, he shows that you can achieve your dreams.”
“I wouldn’t be here without Indian gaming,” said Westerman in accepting the award. “Everything from my education, to my home, my land, my businesses, and who I am, pretty much over the last 20 years, is due to the work of people like Ernie Stevens and Rick Hill,” added Richard.
Richard, a member of the Sisseton Wahpeton Dakota Oyate of South Dakota, started the Tall Bear Group in 2011. The company made a name for themselves by providing high-quality gaming-related products and services to tribal clients. That, coupled with cutting edge design and proactive project management, led to increased success for the group and their tribal clients.
Also at NIGA 2016, Middletown Rancheria Chairman Jose “Moke” Simon III and Quapaw Tribe Chairman John Berrey were honored with the prestigious Wendell Chino Humanitarian Award tomorrow night.
The Wendell Chino Humanitarian Awards Banquet is NIGA’s most prestigious event, honoring the legacy of longtime president Wendell Chino of the Mescalero Apache Nation. President Wendell Chino spent his life protecting tribal sovereignty and advancing Indian self-governance. At the banquet, NIGA celebrates President Wendell Chino and honors individuals whose actions have improved the lives of citizens in Indian Country.
“This year we are pleased to be awarding two individuals with the Wendell Chino Humanitarian Award,” said Chairman Ernie Stevens. “The work that both Chairman Simon III and Chairman Berrey do are a true testament to their leadership in Indian Country.”
Chairman Simon’s responsibilities include leading and representing the Middletown Rancheria of Pomo Indians of California in all major decisions directly involving all entities of the tribe, which include but are not limited to overseeing all tribal government operations.
As chairman, he oversaw all aspects of construction of a new 15,000 square foot gaming facility. During his recent time off as chairman, he worked in the maintenance department of the Twin Pine Casino & Hotel. On behalf of the tribe, Simon also negotiated with the state of California and acquired the gaming compact for the Middletown Rancheria. He helped negotiate $47.5 million to build and construct the new Twin Pine Casino & Hotel gaming facility, which was completed in 2009.
Chairman Simon’s leadership was instrumental to an entire community affected by what is now known as The Valley Fire — one of the most destructive fires in California history, which burned 76,067 acres in September of 2015. The fire burned right through the small town. Under his leadership, the tribe provided temporary housing for members and employees in the Twin Pine Hotel and the Red Cross used the Special Events Center as an evacuation center, providing 260 beds for community members displaced by the fire.
During Chairman John Berrey’s tenure on the business committee, the Quapaw Tribe has experienced exponential growth. The tribe has expanded its economic development activities, and it has increased employment among tribal members and the community as whole to nearly 2000. Enrollment has grown, the tribal land base has increased, and the tribe has tribal health insurance for all enrolled members.
Working in partnership with United States Senator James M. Inhofe, multiple federal agencies, and state leaders, Chairman Berrey has taken an active role in pursuing an environmental cleanup of the Tar Creek Superfund Site, which is located on the Quapaw Reservation and which is one of the largest Superfund Sites in the nation.
In the federal courts he has also represented the Quapaw tribe as the key negotiator in the tribe’s landmark settlement of trust litigation against the United States and in an environmental claims settlement related to the Tar Creek Superfund Site.
New Products
Exhibitors often save their newest products and services for debut at NIGA and this year was no different.
International Game Technology showcased a comprehensive portfolio of games, systems and solutions at NIGA, including the latest addition to its legendary Wheel of Fortune product line with the world premiere of Wheel of Fortune Hawaiian Getaway. This new tropical-themed title is set on the company’s CrystalWheel video cabinet, and offers unique bonus awards and a Big Kahuna Re-spin feature to elevate gameplay.
IGT also presented its True 3D portfolio with games that deliver a unique glasses-free 3D gaming experience. Wheel of Fortune Double Diamond 3D combines the most successful slot theme of all time and IGT’s exclusive True 3D technology. This game is slated to ship to U.S. tribal markets this summer. Other True 3D titles that will be on display include Plants vs. Zombies 3D, Ancient Egypt and Reef of Riches 3D.
And of course Class II is always an important part of any tribal gaming show.
IGT presented a rich product lineup of bingo-themed games. IGT’s Air Heart and Quest for the Golden Statue game themes support the company’s Custom Button Configuration feature, which tailors the bet credits on every button and offers configuration for high-denomination or low-denomination game play. In addition, Crude Cash and Riverboat Riches are among the featured Class II content.
Knute Knudson, IGT’s vice president of tribal relations and business development, said there are tremendous opportunities for growth in the Class II market as expansion in Texas, Alabama, Florida, Arizona, California, and elsewhere are possible.
He says IGT is committed to Class II. “For the first time that I can remember,” he said, “our new CEO included a slide on Class II gaming in his presentation of strategies for the year. That was refreshing. And it wasn’t just a slide, it’s additional financial resources to grow that side of the business.”
Konami Gaming announced more new top-performing Concerto slot games at the show. The Concerto video upright cabinet is further illustrating the power and potential of its exclusive KP3+ platform games during this year’s NIGA show with more base games and standalone progressives. An estimated 6,000 tribal leaders and casino executives will have first-hand access to brand new Concerto games, the world’s first Frogger themed video slots, the latest Rapid Revolver titles, and leading new SYNKROS systems technology.
“Since last year’s Concerto launch, the machine and its debut game themes have seen incredible reception from slot players and the properties they frequent,” said Matt Reback, vice president, marketing at Konami. “The visual interest and creative richness provided by the original new KP3+ themes have brought unrelenting performance successes which we’re thrilled to be able to share with casino organizations across Indian Country.”
AGS, with one of the industry’s most diversified product portfolios, presented its immersive slot machine cabinet ICON, along with dozens of high-performing slot, table and interactive game offerings, at NIGA 2016.
“The numerous strategic acquisitions AGS made in 2015 across all three of our product categories—slots, tables and social casino—bolstered and broadened our product portfolio, elevating our status to one of the most diverse suppliers in the space,” said David Lopez, chief executive officer. “This year’s NIGA show was the perfect opportunity to highlight our significant transformation since we exhibited at the show last year and—more importantly—to demonstrate our improved value proposition and continued commitment to the tribal gaming community.”
DEQ Systems Corp unveiled its next generation of table game bonusing systems at NIGA 2016.
“Our products and solutions continue to evolve and lead player engagement,” said DEQ President and CEO Joe Bertolone. “For 2016, The PRSM Progressive System and the upgraded display screens and dealer interface device demonstrate DEQ’s commitment to our customers and our solutions.”
The PRSM Progressive System provides multiple, patent-protected wagering options combined with multiple levels of progressive jackpots and different jackpot pools. This gives customers the ability to customize their table-top layout by offering customizable betting configurations.
For Scientific Games, NIGA is an opportunity to be recognized as the leading supplier in Indian Country.
Gavin Isaacs, president and chief executive officer of Scientific Games, said, “NIGA is a celebration of Indian Gaming and a recognition that this sector holds a significant place on the global gaming stage. As an important strategic partner, Scientific Games is committed to developing and delivering innovative end-to-end solutions that add value to tribal casino operations and support NIGA’s mission of advancing the lives of Indian people economically, socially and politically.”
Taking center stage at NIGA 2016 for Scientific Games was TwinStar, a for-sale platform that leverages the state-of-the-art ArgOS operating system to combine the best technology and game content from two of the industry’s strongest slot brands-Bally and WMS—giving tribal casino operators the flexibility to change game themes based on their players’ preferences. Twelve new TwinStar titles were on display at the show, including Quick Hit Jungle, Quick Hit Volcano, Kronos – Father of Zeus and Guardian of the North.
Also on display will be the first Cirque du Soleil gaming experience featuring KOOZA – an bonus-rich slot game that combines Scientific Games’ Pro Wave cabinet with the acrobatic adrenaline rush of KOOZA.
New proprietary table games on display at NIGA included the award-winning Flushes Gone Wild featuring head-to-head excitement as the player tries to get a flush with more cards than the dealer, and Two For The Show, in which players angle to beat the dealer with a better two-card poker hand.
From its electronic table games portfolio, Scientific Games also featured TableMaster Fusion with Playboy Bonus Blackjack, a new game offering the first-ever slot-style community bonus side bet and capitalizing on one of the world’s most recognized and popular brands. The company also demonstrated its five-seat Fusion Auto Roulette game, bringing traditional roulette to a fully configurable, live-action layout.
An NIGA 2016 highlight was also the Servizio Mobile Service Solutions, a suite of intelligent applications that use smartphone technology to message employees with real-time information on casino floor activity.
