Pokagon Band awaits federal review of historic gaming agreement

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Leaders of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians watch Chairman Matthew Wesaw, left at table, sign a Class III gaming compact with Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb (R) in South Bend, Indiana, on May 3, 2021. Photo courtesy Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians

Statement from the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians on Governor Eric J. Holcomb’s Signing of Bill that Ratifies the Class III Gaming Compact

Thursday, May 6, 2021

Source: Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians

pokagonband-nsn.gov

The following is the text of a May 4, 2021, statement from the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians in connection with the signing of a Class III gaming compact with the state of Indiana. The agreement will now be sent to the Bureau of Indian Affairs for review.

The Pokagon Band Tribal Council is very pleased that Governor Eric J. Holcomb visited South Bend to complete a ceremonial signing of the bill that ratifies the Class III Gaming Compact, a first in Indiana’s history and also a first for Native Americans as the Pokagon Band is the only federally-recognized Tribe in the State of Indiana. It is also the first piece of Pokagon Band legislation passed in Indiana. This concludes the State of Indiana’s approval process and the Compact will now be sent to the U.S. Department of the Interior for review.

Having a Class III Gaming Compact with Indiana will enable us to operate our South Bend casino, Four Wind South Bend, in a similar manner as our three other Four Winds Casinos in Michigan and the commercial casinos in Indiana. Additional revenue generated from Four Winds South Bend will support essential programs and services for not only our nearly 6,000 Tribal Citizens and other Native Americans living in the region, but also Indiana residents.

We appreciate the willingness of Governor Eric J. Holcomb and Sara Gonso Tait, Executive Director of the Indiana Gaming Commission, to negotiate the Compact in a timely and cooperative manner, and the efforts of Senator Ryan Mishler, Senator David Niezgodski, Senator Linda Rodgers, Senator Jon Ford, and Representative Dr. Tim Brown. We would also like to thank the Indiana General Assembly for their approval. This process has demonstrated the value of the ongoing government-to-government relationship between the State oflndiana and Pokagon Band.

We look forward to the U.S. Department of the Interior’s review of the Compact, and hopefully approval in the near future.