Reznet

Rise in Fortune

By Geneva Horse Chief

SLOAN, Iowa-Fewer than 10 years ago, the Winnebago tribe of Nebraska was in a state of economic and emotional depression because of high unemployment and a disorganized tribal government.

But unemployment for the tribe has declined from 70 percent in 1994 to less than 20 percent today, according to the Nebraska Department of Economic Development. And a major reason for that success has been the establishment of the tribe's casino, WinnaVegas, here on the eastern edge of the Winnebago Reservation.

"There was a time when the whole (tribal) council would sit around and argue about how we were going to spend $500," said John Blackhawk, current tribal chairman.

Within an eight-year period, the Winnebago increased annual tribal revenue from $150,000 in federal allocations to $50 million per year through the creation of their casino, said Blackhawk and other tribal officials. Those profits allowed the tribe to become less dependent on federal funding and more self-sufficient.

Indian-owned casinos have received unfavorable attention across the country. Homeowner associations and state and federal groups have focused primarily on issues such as gambling risks, traffic concerns and noise pollution.

But while some opposition to casinos remains, the Winnebago are promoting what they believe are the benefits of Indian gaming to the local economy.

"We are the primary employer for all the small towns," said Cynthia LaMere, the casino's support services director and an enrolled Yankton Sioux.

Proponents of Indian gaming see the casinos as a place to employ tribal members. But as with many other casinos, WinnaVegas is a substantial employer of Indians from other tribes, as well as non-Indians, officials said.

Within the surrounding area, WinnaVegas Casino employs residents of Iowa cities and towns such as Sioux City, Sloan and Onawa. Workers also come from the nearby Santee, Yankton, Omaha and Winnebago reservations.

A current breakdown of WinnaVegas workers show that 22 percent are enrolled members of the Winnebago tribe, 17 percent are enrolled members of other Indian nations, and 61 percent are non-Indian.

"Our main problem right now is having enough people to employ," said Lance Morgan, chief executive officer of Ho Chunk Inc. and an enrolled member of the Winnebago tribe. The tribe's economic success has allowed it to diversify into other ventures under the Ho-Chunk Inc. corporate umbrella.

Ho-Chunk Inc. "was created as a replacement stream of revenue aside from the casino," said Morgan. Revenue comes from such business ventures as the tribe's of merchandise to on-line customers and the sale of gasoline to visitors to the reservation. But a sizeable chunk of funds still comes from the casino.

Like many Indian-owned casinos, WinnaVegas seeks to hire Indian workers but all employees are treated the same and given the same rights and benefits, whether they are salary or hourly employees, casino managers said.

The casino also provides its workers meals, transportation, pay incentives, promotion opportunities and management training.

Geneva Horse Chief (Osage) is a 2002 graduate of The Freedom Forum's American Indian Journalism Institute. She is a student at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque.