This April, thousands of Native people will visit San Diego, Calif., for the National Indian Gaming Association’s (NIGA) 17th Annual Tradeshow and membership meeting. As the largest tradeshow in the industry, we will have another chance to learn from our peers and colleagues about what’s working in Indian Gaming and where our future is headed.
For Indian Country, this is an important gathering, as it brings together tribal leaders who work to build on one of America’s true success stories. Participants represent tribes, businesses and organizations from across the country. They also represent generations of Native people who have experienced difficult times in the past and, more recently, witnessed great achievements.
In Indian Country, there are many like me — children of a generation that came of age when our tribal governments were pitifully lacking in economic strength. We grew up witnessing widespread poverty, but thanks to Indian Gaming, we have also seen a transformation taking place on many reservations.
Today, those in Indian Country have much to be grateful for. We are heirs to a legacy of duty and responsibility to future generations, not merely modern conveniences. We are using our success to build more opportunities for young people and old, and for our neighbors around us.
In the 1960s, my father, Ernest Stevens Sr., was a founding member of the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development. That small group of visionary and determined Indians recognized Indian Country’s economic promise and hope.
Their work became a foundation for the growth of independent enterprises, from tobacco shops and tourism to Bingo and casino gaming. The economic diversification they inspired began a trend that has become a highly successful industry.
Today, the organization I am proud to chair, NIGA, represents a powerful economic force. In fact, our recent analysis of the economic impact of Indian Gaming in 2006 tells an exciting story of growth and promise. In 2006, Indian Gaming generated over $25.7 billion in gross revenues and provided more than 670,000 jobs nationwide.
What I find most promising, however, is that our industry is fueling a world of economic growth beyond gaming. Today, tribes are investing time, knowledge and financial resources in other fields, like tourism, retail, healthcare, entertainment and bio-fuel resources. The possibilities are truly endless.
As economic change occurred for tribal governments, American corporate culture evolved, too. Entities that were once unaware of tribes are now our business partners. For example, the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation has a strategic alliance with MGM MIRAGE to develop a $700 million destination hotel/casino resort adjacent to Foxwoods. The Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians in California recently announced the sale of $230 million in private placement bonds to 20 institutional investors across the United States, which will fund the construction of a new luxury hotel. Perhaps most astounding is the Seminole Tribe’s recent $965 million purchase of Hard Rock International in early 2007. It is the first time an American Indian tribe purchased a major international corporation, and it will not be the last.
But when I measure change, I am perhaps most proud of what has happened to the kinds of businesses our predecessors worked to promote more than 40 years ago. I am inspired by the work of my elders who set the stage for the success that this generation now has the responsibility to continue. And that responsibility grows in magnitude each and every day.
As Indian Country grows as an economic force, we do not forget the generations that have come before us, the tribes that still struggle, or the generations to come. Our success has humble origins, yet the great visions of our elders have helped guide our way as we continue to extend their vision of Native survival.
This is the way we must continue with our future, our neighbors and our friends. What has been accomplished so far is only a beginning. We must rally behind our predecessors and recognize our full economic potential in order for Indian Country to flourish seven generations from now. I invite you to participate in that rally in San Diego.
During the NIGA Tradeshow in San Diego (April 20 to 23), over 300 exhibitors, including many Fortune 500 companies and numerous Indian-owned businesses, will showcase state-of-the-art innovations in gaming, tribal financing and resort development.
As in past years, economic development will be at the forefront of our discussions. During our event, a panel of experts will share their knowledge on economic development in Indian Country since 1960, reflecting the history of this significant time period. They will also focus on related Congressional actions and public perceptions. This panel will review the findings and recommendations of the Policy Review Commission report addressing economic development in Indian Country.
We are excited about the energy and potential of this show, and we look forward to seeing you there. It is a fantastic opportunity to see how the industry is growing and evolving. To learn more about the opportunities you will find at Indian Gaming ’08, visit www.IndianGaming.org.
Ernie Stevens Jr.
Ernie Stevens Jr. is the Chair of the National Indian Gaming Association and a member of the Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin. He can be reached at (202) 546-7711.
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