Erma Vizenor: Casino a win-win for White Earth Band, state

Tuesday, February 21, 2012  

"Those who live close to the land understand that you don’t go from planting to harvesting overnight. A crop takes resources, time and nurturing before the investment is returned in a bountiful yield.

The same is true with ideas. The bolder the idea, the more nurturing it takes. The proposal by the White Earth Nation to launch MinnesotaWins, a business partnership with the state of Minnesota to build a Twin Cities casino, is a very bold proposal. But it is the only plan that offers a win-win-win — for a new stadium or other state priorities; for economic opportunities for all Minnesotans, especially in our northwest region; and, for the White Earth Nation, the state’s largest and poorest American Indian tribe.

The plan will create enormous benefits for all Minnesotans:

** The Legislature and governor ultimately will decide how best to use the state’s share of the revenue, and some will disagree on whether to use the money to fund a Vikings stadium or to focus on other priorities that need new spending. One notion gaining a lot of interest in the Legislature is to use a portion of the casino revenue to pay back the schools for the years of borrowing to balance the state budget."

Get the Story:
Erma Vizenor: White Earth/Minnesota casino would be a ‘win-win-win’ (The Grand Forks Herald 2/21)

Related Stories:
White Earth Band proposes casino in partnership with state (2/17)