SPEAK OUT
Welcome to Indian Gaming 2013
by Ernest L. Stevens, Jr.
W
e are excited about this year’s tradeshow where we will
have many new events and networking opportunities to
present to tribal leaders and industry professionals. At the end
of February, the tradeshow floor was almost completely sold
out and attendee registration numbers are pacing ahead of recent
years. As a result, we expect to host over 6,000 tribal officials,
tribal gaming regulators, Native-owned business leaders,
and gaming industry authorities at the 28th Annual
NIGA Tradeshow and Convention in Phoenix, AZ held March
24-27, 2013.
The primary focus of the 2013 Tradeshow will parallel
NIGA’s mission to preserve tribal sovereignty, to protect tribal
government rights to conduct gaming to generate government revenue, and to promote Tribal economic opportunity
and self-sufficiency. This year’s Tradeshow agenda offersopportunities to hear from policy makers and regulatory
agencies on a wide range of issues, including concerns with
THEME AND SPECIALTY
CONSTRUCTION SINCE 1957
Jackson, WI
www.costofwisconsin.com
16 Indian Gaming
Orlando, FL
Seattle, WA
[email protected]
March 2013
1-800-221-7625
the IRS taxation of tribal government benefits, the latest in
class II regulations, and challenges regarding the restoration
of tribal government homelands. Without question,
Internet gaming will continue to be a focus of our tradeshow.
These are the issues that represent NIGA’s top priorities. We
are here to ensure that our industry continues to strive so that
tribal governments can serve the significant unmet needs of
Indian Country and our individual tribal communities. This
is a solemn obligation that we will never take for granted.
“Indian Gaming 2013” will also be the place to share
ideas and do business with the top talent in gaming technology, diverse forms of economic development, Indian gaming
regulation, federal, state and tribal relations, and sustainable
growth. And most of this talent is straight from Indian
Country. I’m proud that we offer a venue that creates opportunities for Indian Country’s rising starts, while at the same
time building bridges and enhancing innovation for the
future growth of our industry.
Our four-day tradeshow puts together an impressive
line-up of exhibits, workshops, celebrities, events and activities to appeal to Native and non-Native entrepreneurs
and business leaders who believe in the opportunities and
development found in Indian Country.
We are hosting the Chairman’s Welcome Reception at the
Wild Horse Pass Resort, just twenty minutes south of the
Phoenix Convention Center. With the help from our friends
at Gila River Gaming Enterprises, I am pleased to invite all
attendees and guests to the reception, where NIGA will
have a special honoring of Native veterans and active duty
service members. Creedence Clearwater Revisited will make
a special stop on their forty-date North American tour to be
our entertainment for the evening.
Before the reception, three golf tournaments will take place
at beautiful tribally owned properties, two at the Fort McDowell
Yavapai Nation’s We-Ko-Pa Golf Course. The Chairman’s
tournament will take place at the Cholla Golf Course and the
Sovereignty tournament will take place at the Saguaro Golf
Course. The Vice Chairman’s tournament will be hosted at Gila’
Rivers Whirlwind Golf Club. These are some of the nation’s
top rated championship courses and we are happy to host our
tournament at these premier locations. There will be friendly
competition between many tribal and company sponsored
golf teams for the Chairman’s coveted top golf team award.
During the Wendell Chino Humanitarian Awards Banquet,
we are excited to welcome the legendary band Chicago.
Robert Lamm, Lee Loughnane, James Pankow, Walter
SPEAK OUT
Parazaider, Jason Scheff, Tris Imboden, Keith Howland,
Lou Pardini, and Walfredo Reyes will join us on the stage.
We have a lot of work to accomplish over the course of four
days, but this is also a place to enjoy the excitement that only
gaming can provide. To change things up a bit, we are giving
away $25,000 on the last day of the tradeshow. We are also
giving away diamond jewelry and iPads. We have partnered with
the Native American Basketball Invitational Foundation
(JNABI) for a “Chasing the Sun” 7K, 5K and 1 mile Walk on
Sunday, and after the tradeshow on Thursday, we are hosting
an Indian Gaming Industry Night with the Phoenix Suns at the
US Airways Center. They play the Sacramento Kings, so there
should be some friendly competition between our California
and Arizona gaming tribes.
Beyond the excitement of entertainers
and exciting events, are the over 110
workshops and training seminars.
WE HAVE
NIGA’s membership meeting will be
held for our tribal membership, gaming
professionals and officials from
Washington D.C., and is one of the most
important events during the tradeshow.
This is the time we can get together and
speak open and honestly about the future
of Indian gaming. There will be opportunities to hear from the “Tribal
Gaming Protection Network,” our
American Indian Business Network and
Internet gaming sub-committee. These
are three very important NIGA initiatives that are making a significant
presence in the Indian gaming industry
and tribal economies.
While our plate is certainly full this
tradeshow with many vital topics that are
a priority for Indian Country, we will
conduct our work while also acknowledging the success of the Indian gaming
industry. We will once again use this
time to roll up our sleeves, come
together, and do our work on behalf of
the tribal communities we serve. All of
these legislative and regulatory issues
One Great Idea After Another. From broadcast
really just come down to protecting and
pieces to e-blasts and direct mail, we have been doing
promoting Indian Country’s economic
this for a long time. Our industry-leading experience
development and diversification.
Through these efforts we can continue
lets us approach every project with strategic insights
to build a better educational platform for
and fresh ideas. We engage and excite players at every
the understanding of the role Indian
step along the way as we build lasting brands and create
gaming and tribal government sovereignty have in this great country. In the
world-class success stories. Let us contribute to yours.
end, our agenda is always about building
and
providing a better future for Indian
Call today for a free presentation 800.475.2000.
Country. p
IDEAS THAT
RPM A DV.COM
Chicago
18 Indian Gaming
De troit
March 2013
L as V egas
Mia mi
Milwauk ee
Ernest L. Stevens, Jr. is Chairman
of the National Indian Gaming
Association (NIGA). He can be reached
by calling (202) 546-7711 or visit
www.indiangaming.org.