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BEAVER: Senseless battles rage over gaming
By TOM BEAVER, The View from Beaver Lodge
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Gaming has been a good bet for the Seminole Tribe of Florida. The tribe has been able to parlay its high stakes bingo parlor into a multi-million dollar gaming enterprise.
But not all the tribe’s profits go back into gaming or to tribal members. Tribal leaders have been able to leverage their funds into other areas. Agriculture businesses, cattle ranching, and last year the tribe purchased the Hard Rock Cafe chain of 127 owned or licensed restaurants and three hotels for $965 million.
Now good fortune has once again smiled upon the Seminole. In June, the Seminole joined forces with the New York Yankees. The tribe will open a NYY Steaks restaurant in the brand new Yankee Stadium when it opens next spring. The Seminoles also will open a Hard Rock Café at the stadium.
“This is a great marriage of two iconic brands,” James Allen, chief executive officer of Seminole Hard Rock Entertainment, said.
The tribe plans to open at least 25 NYY Steaks restaurants at Hard Rock Hotels, including ones under construction in Panama; Dubai; Macao; Palm Springs, Calif.; and Atlanta, Allen told the Sun-Sentinel in Fort Lauderdale.
The New York Yankee management picked the Seminoles from more than 50 restaurants and celebrity chefs for the stadium restaurant.
Is it any wonder gaming is such a hit with tribal leaders? Gaming funds enable tribal governments to provide tribal member with education, health care, jobs and business opportunities. Then, once those needs are met, tribal leaders can expand into other business ventures.
Tribes now are becoming the leading employer in their areas and also are providing their neighbors with more economic opportunities for their surrounding communities. I have been able to see what Indian gaming has done for local communities, local governments and state governments. But the road has not been easy.
Tribal leaders have had to fight for their dreams for a better life for tribal members. State governments continue to challenge tribal governments every step of the way to a better life for tribal members and for the non-Indian communities surrounding Indian lands. Just last month, the Florida Supreme Court tossed out an expanded gaming agreement signed by Florida governor Charlie Crist and the Seminole tribe.
Florida politicians and courts just don’t seem to value what the Seminole has done for the state.
Clear thinking leaders have seen the benefits of Indian gaming. Indian gaming thrives in those states where non-Indian government leaders have seen the value of a successful economic stimulus and what it has done for the state. Minnesota is one of the states who have come to value what Indian business has done for Minnesotans.
The National Indian Gaming Commission, a federal watchdog agency for Indian gaming, reports Indian casinos took in $26-billion in gambling revenue in 2007, up from $24.9-billion in 2006.
If only Kansas had seen the value of tribally-owned economic enterprises, our state would be in much better financial shape than it is now. We have all lost in these senseless battles between tribal and state governments.
Tribal government business ventures are a good bet for all concerned.
Tom Beaver is a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. He writes about issues facing Kansas. E-mail him at joandtom.beaver@sbcglobal.net.
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