The Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe announced it will distribute a total of ,003,454.67 to local schools and governments in Isabella, Arenac and northern Bay counties in Michigan. The action is part of the tribe’s semi-annual distribution of 2 percent of net slot machine earnings, after expenses and payouts, at Saganing Eagles Landing Casino in Standish Township and Soaring Eagle Casino and Resort in Mount Pleasant.
The Saginaw tribal council receives and evaluates requests for funds from local governments and schools, and determines who will receive allocations and in what amount. This year the tribe received 105 requests from local governments and 276 from local schools, said tribal Interim Public Relations Director Erik Rodriguez. “The council prioritizes them, grants the funds that impact the largest amount of people in those areas to maximize the effect. The educational needs are always there. We’re happy to supplement some of those shortages.”
This spring the tribe distributed $2,128,364.02 for Isabella County and $757,105.59 for Arenac and northern Bay counties, Rodriguez said.
The tribal-state gaming compact of 1993 requires that the tribe distribute 8 percent of its net slot earnings semi-annually, Rodriguez said. He noted the compact was violated in the mid-to-late ’90s when non-Native American casinos in Detroit were added. The 2 percent distribution is not legally binding but an act of good faith, Rodriguez said.
