Tribe’s Government, Casino and Investments pump $228 million per year into State’s Economy  

Bradley, Michigan – Today, the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians (Gun Lake Tribe) released the findings of an economic impact study (EIS) commissioned by the Tribe.  The Innovation Group (Innovation), a gaming and hospitality analytics firm, worked with the Tribe and its subsidiaries to development the findings of the EIS.  The findings reveal that the Tribe, Gun Lake Casino, and Gun Lake Investments contributed $1.5 billion to Michigan’s economy from 2011-2017.     

“We are proud to have contributed $1.5 billion to Michigan’s economy in the last seven years through the construction and operation of our gaming and government facilities, and non-gaming business activities,” said Chairman Bob Peters.  “Each year, this aggregate economic activity supports over 2,600 jobs and pumps $228 million into the state’s economy.”

Using hard data provided by the Tribe as direct inputs, Innovation modeled indirect and induced economic impacts through IMPLAN, a leading supplier of economic impact software relied upon by the private sector and government agencies to study the effects of economic activities. 

The EIS provides an analysis of the cumulative impact of the Tribe’s casino and government operations, and non-gaming investments from 2011-2017.  This analysis results in the finding of $1.5 billion in total economic impact.  The study also details ongoing annual economic benefits provided to the economy by the tribal government and its subsidiaries.     

The Tribe directly employs 1,281 individuals within the government, gaming and investment operations.  The Tribe’s annual direct payroll is over $48 million.  Another $36 million is spent by the Tribe annually on goods and services that are purchased from Michigan-based companies.  The indirect and induced employment impact added to direct employment results in an annual total of 2,491 jobs that equates to an annual payroll of $99 million. 

The Tribe has shared more than $109 million with the State and local entities since the opening of the Gun Lake Casino in 2011.  Local distributions also reach school districts, law enforcement agencies, and infrastructure projects.  The revenue sharing distributions now exceed $15 million annually.

Finally, the EIS also captured the economic impact of the Tribe’s construction of the Gun Lake Casino, as well as numerous government facilities.  The total construction budget for these facilities amounts to $236 million, which contributed $142 million to Michigan’s economy.  These projects created 1,439 construction jobs.

For more details about the Gun Lake Tribe’s Economic Impact Study click here to download a copy.

Click here to download a copy of the press release.

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About Gun Lake Tribe
The Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians (Gun Lake Tribe) has a rich history in West Michigan and a close connection to the land.  The Bradley Indian Mission, located near Wayland, is the historic residential and cultural center point of the tribal community.  The Tribe’s ancestors, and political predecessors, signed treaties with the United States government dating back to 1795.  The Tribe was re-affirmed to federal recognition in 1999.  For more information about the Tribe visit https://gunlaketribe-nsn.gov/

About Gun Lake Casino
Gun Lake Casino is located off Exit 61 on U.S. 131, halfway between Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo. The casino features over 2,100 slot machines, 47 table games, a 225-seat café, and a 300-seat buffet, along with bars, lounges, and live entertainment.

Gun Lake Casino is owned by the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi. For more information, visit www.gunlakecasino.com.

About Gun Lake Investments
Gun Lake Investments (GLI) is an economic development arm of the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians of Michigan. Founded in 2014, GLI is focused on investing flexible capital to create economic opportunities for its Tribal citizens. To learn more, visit http://gunlakeinvestments.com/. 

About The Innovation Group
The Innovation Group has long been recognized as the world's most respected and sought-after research and advisory firm, specializing in the gaming, entertainment, hospitality and leisure industries. To date, our research and analyses have driven over $100 billion in investment decisions across more than 80 countries and six continents. The Innovation Group's accuracy and reliability is unparalleled, with our forecasts historically tracking within 5% of actual revenues across the most complex of gaming jurisdictions throughout the globe.  For more information visit http://theinnovationgroup.com/.