Grand Casino Mille Lacs in Minnesota
Mille Lacs Corporate Ventures
Mille Lacs Corporate Ventures ( MLCV ) was created by the tribal government of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe , to manage the business affairs of the tribe . It is one of the earliest Native American economic development entities , having been established in the early 1990s as a tribally chartered corporation under Title 16 . The corporation ’ s six-member board of directors is appointed by the band ’ s chief executive , but ratified by the Band Assembly .
The non-removeable Mille Lacs of Ojibwe has a rich history and culture that dates to a time before Minnesota became a state . Since that time , the language , culture , traditions and beliefs have been proudly and indelibly woven into the fabric of the region . As explained by Joseph Nayquonabe , CEO of MLCV , “ Ojibwe people have long influenced and contributed to all aspects of life — art , cuisine , nature , fashion , music , education , spirituality and the economy . These economies developed based on countless generations of learning from each other , and for each other . That continues today with Mille Lacs Corporate Ventures , generating economic stability and opportunity for all people in the region .”
As a company , MLCV has carefully invested time , talent and resources to build a social and economic foundation . It has amassed a portfolio that spans five industries — gaming , hospitality , marketing and technology , in-district investing in and around the reservation , and government contracting .
Some notable businesses within its portfolio are Grand Casino Mille Lacs and Grand Casino Hinckley , two of Minnesota ’ s premier entertainment destinations ; the InterContinental St . Paul Riverfront Hotel ; the DoubleTree by Hilton Downtown St . Paul ; the DoubleTree by Hilton Minneapolis Park Place ; and the Embassy Suites by Hilton Oklahoma City Will Rogers Airport — all managed by Maadaadizi Investments , a wholly owned subsidiary of MLCV . Maadaadizi was formed to provide a full-service investment platform to accelerate economic diversification in acquisition , development and ongoing management .
MLCV ’ s enterprises help fulfill its mission : to improve the quality of life of Mille Lacs Band members , East Central Minnesota and the communities in which they do business .
Ho-Chunk , Inc . ( Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska )
Tribally chartered in 1994 , Ho-Chunk , Inc . ( HCI ) has a clear mandate to separate business decisions from political considerations , as the corporation ’ s founding document states : “ Ho-Chunk , Inc . was established so that tribal business operations would be free from political influence and outside the bureaucratic process of the government .”
HCI ’ s five-member board of directors currently contains two Tribal Council members and three at-large members . Tribal member Lance Morgan is the original and current chief executive officer . The corporation provides the Tribal Council with an annual report , audited financial statements and an annual development plan . For its part , the Tribal Council appoints board members , formulates the long-term development plan of the corporation and approves annual operating plans . This separation of business from politics frees tribal council members to focus on questions of governance , and enables the business experts at HCI to focus on maximizing the profitability of the corporation .
Initial capitalization ( first three years , 1995-97 ) was provided by casino revenues at a total of $ 9 million , and HCI was permitted to reinvest 100 percent of its profits for the first five years . As a result , HCI developed a diversified investment and development portfolio of active and passive investments , both on and off the reservation . Initially , HCI targeted opportunities where the economic conditions were the most favorable , which generally meant off-reservation , in metropolitan areas .
Once HCI created a stable income stream from its off-reservation investments , it was able to leverage its existing businesses to create solid on-reservation development . This wasn ’ t simply a matter of money , but also the development of management expertise . It began its development activities in the franchise business ( hotels ), so that it could develop managerial talent under the tutelage of an experienced franchiser and eventually move to more sophisticated business activities . This took place as HCI exited some of its hotel investments and focused on its distribution , internet , technology and retail businesses .
S & K Technologies , Inc . ( Salish and Kootenai )
The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes have a successful track record with enterprise development , including several profitable businesses .
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S & K Technologies , a federally chartered corporation ( Section 17 ) founded in 1999 , is a group of 10 companies within three business units , specializing in professional business solutions to government agencies and commercial clients . It was established with a board of directors appointed by tribal council and comprises seven members , with no requirement for council or tribal representation . Staggered terms are for four years .
The strategy for S & K Technologies has been to leverage SBA 8 ( a ) status in the fields of aerospace , avionics , environmental restoration , security and IT . Primary corporate goals are to grow each company , to provide a sustained dividend to the CSKT , and to secure employment opportunities , both on and off the reservation . www . tribalgovernmentgaming . com 13