Members of the RST Gaming Commission present Trent Poignee, Turtle Creek Crossing Supermarket manager, with the casino addition’s facility license. From L to R: Edie Harrison, Gaming Commission member; Jerri Night Pipe, Gaming Commission member; Trent Poignee; and Todd Hay, gaming inspector.
ROSEBUD AND PINE RIDGE RESERVATIONS, SOUTH DAKOTA -- Both the Rosebud Sioux Tribe and the Oglala Sioux Tribe are working to expand their economic prowess in similar, but separate, business ventures. OST is expanding its casino operations to Martin. Meanwhile, Turtle Creek Crossing Supermarket -- which is owned and operated by the RST -- near Mission recently transformed a vacant room of the store into a mini-casino, replete with 26 faux Las Vegas-style gaming machines. “I hate to take all the credit, but the casino was my idea,” said Turtle Creek store manager and RST member, Trent Poignee. Funding for the add-on has been internally generated by the store itself with the projection that it will eventually be self-sustaining, according to Poignee. “The casino is a marketing tool to bring in more customers to the store,” he said. “Our hope is that when people win in the casino, they will go shopping in our store,” said Poignee. Thus far, the ploy seems to be working, he said, even though the small casino has only been open for business since September 19. The RST Gaming Commission recently approved and issued the miniature casino’s license as a separate entity from the Tribe’s Rosebud Casino. “This is the first time that the Tribe has approved something like this,” said Poignee. “Something that doesn’t have anything to do with the Rosebud Casino,” he said. Turtle Creek’s casino is open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week, and smoking is banned inside the casino. Community response to Turtle Creek’s gaming enterprise has been, for the most part, positive, according to Poignee. “People like it because it’s local,” he said. “They don’t have to travel 20 miles to the Rosebud Casino to gamble,” he said. In addition to generating more revenue for the tribe through cyclical, or mostly local, spending, the addition of the gaming parlor has created jobs for at least a handful of tribal citizens. “We have about five enrolled tribal members working at the casino,” said Poignee. Turtle Creek also offers alcohol for sale seven days a week at a separate, but proximal, site. “We have an off-sale liquor license which allows us to sell beer away from the (main) building,” said Poignee. “Sales have been real good since we started selling alcohol,” he said. The RST Liquor Commission and the Todd County Commission granted the grocery store a “package off-sale malt beverage” license in August of 2010 which allows the sale of beer and wine coolers. Alcohol sale is prohibited on casino premises, which is adjoined to the supermarket. Approximately seven more new jobs were created for tribal members by the small beer outlet, said Poignee. Initially, the idea of Turtle Creek selling alcohol sparked controversy within the community, according to Poignee. “I still led the charge anyway,” he said. “There are always pros and cons of selling alcohol on the reservation, but I’m looking at it as a business man." Opposition came from all directions, indicated Poignee. Some tribal members as well as leaders publicly criticized the sale of alcohol by Turtle Creek. “If it’s a dry rez or not, (alcohol is) going to come here,” said Poignee. “More people are supportive of the sale of alcohol than not,” he said. Interestingly, RST Resolution 89-33 reads, in part, “for the spiritual well being of our children and families and for the survival and strengthening of our communities, from this day forward, let it be known that the Council of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe has declared war on all that is associated with alcohol and drug abuse and strive for the goal that by the year 2000 the Rosebud Reservation will be 100 percent drug and alcohol free.” This tribal resolution regarding alcohol and drug abuse was initially approved in 1989, with reconsideration and amendments on December 5, 1996. The legislation has never been rescinded. Following the RST’s lead, the OST is in the preliminary stages of establishing a mini- casino of its own in the Pine Ridge reservation border town of Martin. Martin is a sleepy hamlet of about 1,000, over half of whom are enrolled members of the OST. The tribe is betting on the small town to increase its gaming revenue. Kevin Lien, general manager of the tribally owned and operated Prairie Wind Casino, has spearheaded the effort to extend the casino’s reach beyond reservation borders. Also instrumental in the effort was Craig Dillon, LaCreek District Representative, according to Jeffrey Whalen, OST member. Some community members are concerned with the tribal council’s approval of the Prairie Wind extension into Martin as it violates the compact agreement between the Tribe and the State. Additionally, in order for Prairie Wind to legally expand its operation, particularly outside of the reservation, a referendum vote is necessary. A formal measure for the mini-casino in Martin was never brought before the people, according to some tribal members. The Martin casino will, however, create much-needed jobs and is expected to generate a small chunk of revenue for the Tribe. Community members have also expressed concerns about whether or not certain provisions of the federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988 as well as tribal gaming regulations have been violated. It is not clear if the OST Gaming Commission officially approved the Martin casino venture or not. “I disagree with the (proposed) casino because 70 percent of its net revenues will go to the Tribe,” said Whalen. “If they started businesses instead, then only four percent in the form of taxes would go to the Tribe – this is a no-brainer,” he said. (Contact Jesse Abernathy at staffwriter@nsweekly.com)