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News
Potawatomi Bingo Casino Recognized for Its Responsible Gaming Efforts
June 9, 2010
MILWAUKEE (June 9, 2010) – Potawatomi Bingo Casino will be given the Corporate Social Responsibility Award from the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) at its annual conference in Portland, Ore., on Friday, June 11.
The mission of the NCPG is to increase public awareness of problem gambling, ensure the widespread availability of treatment for problem gamblers and their families and to encourage research and programs for prevention and education.
Awards are given annually to individuals and organizations in a number of categories to recognize their work in addressing the issue of problem gambling.
“Advocating responsible gambling is our Casino’s number one social priority,” said Mike Goodrich, General Manager of Potawatomi Bingo Casino. “We’re extremely proud to be honored for our efforts, but we will not rest on our laurels. Gambling should always be looked at as recreational. When it becomes a problem for our guests, we need to help connect them to the resources they can turn to for help.”
For several years, Potawatomi Bingo Casino has placed an increased emphasis on addressing the issue of problem gambling. A few of these efforts have included:
- Contributing $140,000 to the Wisconsin Council on Problem Gambling since 2008
- Providing a member to the board of the Wisconsin Council on Problem Gambling
- Spearheading an effort to enhance responsible gaming at all casinos around the state
- Implementing a comprehensive communications program to Potawatomi Bingo Casino guests and team members, media and the Milwaukee community
Previous winners of the Corporate Social Responsibility Award include Churchill Downs, the annual site of the Kentucky Derby; and Foxwoods Resort Casino, one of the largest Native American-owned casino resorts in the country, located in Mashantucket, Conn.
Potawatomi Bingo Casino is one of two casinos owned and operated by the Forest County Potawatomi Community. It is located at 1721 W. Canal Street, Milwaukee, Wis. The casino is a showcase for high stakes bingo, offering some of the nation's highest daily payouts. A popular attraction for local guests, tourists and tour groups, the casino features blackjack, craps, poker, and roulette table games, video and reel slot machines, and a variety of live entertainment. Potawatomi Bingo Casino is committed to raising awareness of the risks of problem gambling, maintaining a level of first-class customer service, while investing in its most valuable asset – its 2,500 multicultural employees. Through the Forest County Potawatomi Community Foundation and Miracle on Canal Street, the casino supports numerous local charities and community organizations. Driving directions and more information about Potawatomi Bingo Casino can be obtained by calling toll-free, 1-800-PAYS-BIG or by visiting the website at www.paysbig.com.
PACT Act a hidden power grab for states
Friday, March 12, 2010
The US Constitution has what is known as the Indian Commerce Clause. It basically states that Congress has the power to regulate commerce with Indian Tribes. Unfortunately, Congress just outsourced that power to the states.
On Thursday night, the US Senate passed what is known as the PACT Act, without even taking a vote. It was by unanimous consent. All Indian Country needed was one US Senator to object, but no one stepped up.
The PACT Act does several things. Mainly it prevents the post office from shipping Internet tobacco products, which for some tribes is big business. However, it does something else that isn’t so clear. It gives the states the power to enforce what is known as the Jenkins Act, a federal law, against tribal economic interests.
Giving the any state the power to enforce a federal law against a tribe is wrong and sends chills up my spine. To be blunt the states have proven over and over again that they can’t be trusted. Their greed always kicks in at some point and they use the law to rationalize it.
But the PACT Act is particularly tricky. There is a portion of the PACT Act that is intended to make tribes feel better. It clarifies that the new law doesn’t impact Tribal sovereignty. Well that is nice of them until you realize what game the states have been playing the last 20 years.
States rarely attack Tribes directly on economic issues because they largely can’t make us do anything. What they do is attempt to get their way indirectly by controlling those who deal with Tribes. “Don’t sell that to the tribe without state tax or we will take your license and throw you in jail” is surprisingly effective on non-Indians.
Interestingly, the US Supreme Court gave them idea in 1990’s when it made the helpful suggestion to states that they move the “legal incidence” of tax upstream economically to those who sell to tribes. This system was further endorsed in 2005, when the court ruled that the downstream economic effects of state tax laws on tribes don’t matter. The states have been using this playbook to isolate tribes economically ever since.
But the Tribes’ are not stupid! In the tobacco industry, the Tribes have been selling directly to each other in what is the modern day emergence of Tribe-to-Tribe commerce. When one tribe sell to another tribe, they are much more likely to ignore the state laws and their threats.
States hate the emergence of Tribe-to-Tribe commerce because it forces them to confront tribes who are acting under tribal law on tribal land. Enter the PACT Act. The Pact Act protects tribes, it says so right in the law. But it doesn’t protect those who sell to Tribes. In fact, it requires all sales to Tribes to be reported to the state and if it isn’t reported then the state can sue you in federal court for a felony violation of the Jenkins Act.
United States Census 2010 - Be Counted
It’s Easy…It’s Important…and It’s Safe
Did you know that Milwaukee is home to almost 13,000 American Indian and Alaskan Native People?
Did you know that this is the largest concentration of Indians in the state of Wisconsin and represents over 13 percent of the State’s Indian population?
Did you know that federally funded Urban and Reservation Indian programs for housing, education, workforce development, and healthcare are based on population data collected on the Census?
Did you know that it’s important that Indian people identify themselves as American Indian only and correctly identify their tribe of enrollment on the Census Form?
Census Day is April 1, 2010
Ten Questions…Ten Minutes…Ten Years
Native Pride – It’s Our Time to Say We Are Indian
and We Are Proud!
For More Information Visit: www.indiancountrycounts.org
United States Census 2010 - The Importance of the Census for Indian People
The foundation of our American democracy is dependent on fair and equitable representation in Congress. In order to achieve an accurate assessment of the number and location of the people living within the nation’s borders, the U.S. Constitution mandates a census of the population every 10 years.
The census population totals determine which states gain or lose representation in Congress. It also determines the amount of state and federal funding communities receive over the course of the decade. 2010 Census data will directly affect how more than $4 trillion is allocated to local, state and tribal governments over the next 10 years. In order for this funding allocation to be accomplished fairly and accurately, the goal of the decennial census is to count everybody, count them only once, and count them in the right place. The facts gathered in the census also help shape decisions for the rest of the decade about public health, neighborhood improvements, transportation, education, senior services and much more.
Urban and Off-Reservation Indians are an important part of the population of Milwaukee and Southeast Wisconsin. According to the 2000 Census, approximately 13,000 American Indians, Alaskan Natives, and Native Hawaiians reside in the Milwaukee Metro Area. Federal funding decisions for Indian Health Services, Indian and Native American Employment and Training Programs, and Indian Education support Programs in Public Schools are all based on Census counts of the number of individuals in our community. It is important that each Indian, Alaskan Native, and Native Hawaiian be counted. It is also important that each person identify their tribe of enrollment and identify as Indian only. Individuals that indentify as more than one race are grouped into multi-racial categories by the Federal government and have a negative impact on funding decisions for Indian programs.
With one of the shortest questionnaires in history, the 2010 Census asks for name, gender, age, race, ethnicity, relationship, and whether you own or rent your home. It takes only about 10 minutes for the average household to complete. Questions about how we live as a nation ⎯ our diversity, education, housing, jobs and more ⎯ are now covered in the American Community Survey, which is conducted every year throughout the decade and replaces the Census 2000 long-form questionnaire. Responses to the 2010 Census questionnaire are required by law. All responses are used for statistical purposes only, and all are strictly confidential. Absolutely no personal or household information collected on the Census can be given out to any person, not even the President of the United States. Therefore, it’s important that everyone be counted where they are currently living without the fear of consequences or punishment.
For more information on why the Census is important for Indian People, visit the National Congress of American Indians 2010 Census Web site at www.indiancountrycounts.org. For questions or Census assistance, please contact Darren Kroenke at (414) 342-0700 or by e-mail at kroenke@spottedeagle.us.
Casino offers jobs jackpot for American Indians
Brian Johnson
Dolan Media Newswires
Minneapolis — An ongoing remodeling project at Mystic Lake casino in Prior Lake is bringing riches that slot machines and roulette tables can’t offer: construction job opportunities for people in Indian country, where unemployment far exceeds the national average.
PCL Construction Services, which is working with the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community on the project, has formed work crews that have a strong contingent of Native American workers. PCL crews have devoted roughly 53,600 hours to the project, and 21,500 of those are from American Indian workers.
Overall, including subcontractors, American Indian workers have put in 25 percent of the work hours for the Mystic Lake project, which is described by one PCL Construction Services official as a “multiphased, Las Vegas-style renovation of the entire casino.”
An American Indian-owned company, Bald Eagle Erectors, is installing reinforcing steel for the project.
American Indian participation has been significant on other recent SMSC projects, ranging from 19 percent of the work hours on the newly completed Koda Energy biomass project to nearly 37 percent for the tribe’s Reverse Osmosis project.
Deerwood, Minn.-based Rice Lake Construction completed both projects earlier this year.
SMSC has high participation rates because it defines minority contracting in terms of requirements rather than goals. The SMSC typically requires contractors to set aside 15 percent to 25 percent of the jobs to American Indians.
Contractors can be penalized for failing to comply with hiring requirements and the ratio of disadvantaged workers has to be maintained throughout the project.
In addition to hiring mandates, SMSC requires general contractors to seek out American Indian businesses for subcontracting work, and it has bidding preferences for vendors who will supply products and services for the new facilities.
“The SMSC is cognizant of the severe economic conditions and widespread unemployment that exists among our sovereign people, and therefore, place a moral obligation on contractors for public service projects or contracts to assist in relieving such economically depressed conditions,” according to a statement attributed to Stanley Crooks, chairman of the SMSC.
On large construction projects, SMSC puts its hiring policies in the project specifications and contractors understand that they have to meet or exceed those percentages, according to Bill Rudnicki, SMSC’s tribal administrator.
Long-term relationships with contractors such as PCL and Rice Lake Construction, and a good pool of available American Indian workers in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, are among the factors that have made the hiring program a success, he noted.
PCL Construction officials believe they’re in a good position to meet the requirements, given their experience with tribal construction. Since 1995, PCL has worked with the SMSC on three hotel towers, two parking garages, a skyway bridge and other projects.
Mike Durene, a PCL superintendent, said PCL crews include Native American carpenters, laborers, heavy equipment operators and cement finishers.
“We work together with the SMSC to keep good working relationships, resolve disputes and ensure the safety of all our workers,” according to an e-mail attributed to Durene. According to the e-mail, PCL also has good working relationships with the Red Lake and Fond du Lac tribes.
Experience gained on those projects often leads to other opportunities. In fact, the “vast majority” of Native American workers employed on Mystic Lake projects have gone on to join a union for their construction trade, said John Jensvold, director of project development for PCL.
“There was a time when PCL actively sought Native American workers through a variety of publications dedicated to news and events in Indian country,” according to an e-mail attributed to Jensvold. “Today, word of mouth is so effective that there is a steady stream of interested workers.
“The idea is to move beyond hiring targets to authentically increase the skills and capacity of Native American construction professionals through the course of some very exciting projects.”
Potawatomi Bingo Casino Becomes the Milwaukee Brewer's First-Ever Presenting Sponsor
MILWAUKEE (Jan. 8, 2009) – The Milwaukee Brewers and Potawatomi Bingo Casino today announced a multi-year partnership in which Potawatomi Bingo Casino will serve as the team's presenting sponsor, it was announced by Brewers Executive Vice President Rick Schlesinger.
"This partnership symbolizes the first-ever presenting sponsorship in Brewers history, and it's certainly an exciting moment for our franchise," said Schlesinger. "We are pleased to develop this sponsorship with a great partner and Menomonee Valley neighbor like Potawatomi Bingo Casino."
The partnership marks the first presenting sponsorship for a major league sports franchise in Wisconsin sports history.
"When two of the state's top names in entertainment team up it's a win for Brewer's fans everywhere," said Mike Goodrich, Potawatomi Bingo Casino General Manager. "We are proud of the contributions this partnership will bring to help drive tourism and strengthen the state's economy."
The partnership, which will be referred to as "Milwaukee Brewers Baseball presented by Potawatomi Bingo Casino," entitles Potawatomi Bingo Casino to local advertising and marketing rights on radio and print material, in-stadium signage, sponsorship on regular season game tickets and additional collateral materials.
As the Brewers presenting sponsor, Potawatomi Bingo Casino will have exterior signage displayed on the 117 Miller Park plaza light poles and will receive presenting sponsorship recognition on the home and visiting dugout tops for each regular season home game at Miller Park. Other signage opportunities inside the ballpark will include an outfield wall pad signage and representation on the rotational signs and LED boards.
Potawatomi Bingo Casino is one of two casinos owned and operated by the Forest County Potawatomi Community. It is located at 1721 W. Canal Street, Milwaukee, Wis. The casino is a showcase for high stakes bingo, offering some of the nation's highest daily payouts. A popular attraction for local guests, tourists and tour groups, the casino features blackjack, craps, poker, and roulette table games, video and reel slot machines, multiple dining options and a variety of live entertainment. Potawatomi Bingo Casino is committed to maintaining a level of first-class customer service, while investing in its most valuable asset - more than 2,600 multicultural employees. Through the Forest County Potawatomi Community Foundation, the casino supports numerous local charities and community organizations. Driving directions and more information about Potawatomi Bingo Casino can be obtained by calling toll-free, 1-800-PAYS-BIG or by visiting the website at www.paysbig.com.
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