Shakopee Mdewakanton Tribe Casino
The Shakopee Mdewakanton are also well-known for their charitable donations and give money to poorer tribes and charities throughout the US. In fact, the tribe has donated $243.5 million since 1996.
- The gaming and hospitality business has been good for the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community, or SMSC. It’s also been good for non-Natives in the area: the tribe says that between Mystic Lake.
- The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Tribe today is very much different from what it was before. Sports facilities, malls, convenience stores, travel agencies banks have now grown in the area. The Mystic Lake Casino Hotel is now known to be one of the largest and most successful Indian-owned casinos in the whole of the United States.
- While the Shakopee tribe continues to prosper, all is not coming up aces, the story says. Casino gambling in much of Indian Country is now under threat by many types of potential gambling.
- Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community, Prior Lake, MN. The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community is a federally recognized sovereign Native American tribe located in Scott County.
When Louise Smith looks at fellow tribal members on the tiny Mdewakanton Sioux reservation, she grows more disapproving every day.
'This reservation is all blue-eyed and blond. You don't see a dark-skinned person around here,' said the 84-year-old retired nurse's aide, whose grandfather, Harry Bluestone, once lived on this land.
Smith is party to a legal action to stop enrollment of new members who have less than one-quarter Mdewakanton blood, a requirement in the tribe's constitution.
To be sure, there are brown-eyed, dark-haired, dusky-skinned people here.
But the reservation, formed in 1969 on old land parcels given some Mdewakantons in the late 19th Century, looks more like an affluent suburban subdivision than an American Indian reservation.
There's good reason for that. Mystic Lake, the tribe's casino, just half an hour from the Twin Cities, is the second most lucrative Indian gaming operation in the nation.
Gamblers lost $500 million there last year, and 65 percent of the net profits were paid to tribal members, who number fewer than 100. That means each enrolled member got more than $400,000 last year. Projections for this year are for $500,000 each.
Those figures were closely guarded secrets until April 26, when tribal member Leonard Prescott, president of Little Six Inc., which operates the casino, decided to reveal them. Prescott was under fire from tribal Chairman Stanley Crooks for alleged mismanagement of casino profits and misconduct with several female employees.
On May 6, he was ousted from the casino by the tribe's gaming commission.
Meanwhile, there is concern among the Mdewakanton Sioux and other tribes that the financial revelations may have hurt Indian gaming in Minnesota.
Opponents in the hospitality and tavern industries have been clamoring to break the monopoly that tribes have on video slot machines. They have leaped at the chance to portray the enormous success of the Shakopee casino as the rule for the state's 16 other Indian casinos, most of which don't do nearly as well.
There may be valid reasons for the ouster of Prescott, but it is difficult to view them apart from a longstanding feud that has raged between the Prescotts and Crooks.
In 1984, Leonard Prescott won the tribal chairmanship by defeating Stanley Crooks' late father, Norman, who in 1982 brought bingo to the reservation. Stanley Crooks in turn defeated Prescott three years ago.
Last year, the feud was over the question that concerns Louise Smith and Indians on other reservations: membership eligibility, or, who is an Indian?
'The time is coming when the issue of membership will hit all tribes. The blood levels are reaching less than a quarter in most places,' said Robert Wynecoop, who is retired from the Twin Cities office of the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA).
Crooks and others wanted the tribe to adopt 30 children and adults, most of whom were relatives or children of existing members. Because of marriage outside the tribe, they have less than one-fourth Mdewakanton blood.
Membership eligibility has great political and economic implications on Indian reservations.
Bestowing it affects participation in tribal programs, occupation of tribal land and the receipt of tribal benefits, such as per capita payments from casino profits.
The chairman or tribal council can use the bestowal-or retention-of membership as a powerful political tool to compel loyalty or to settle old scores.
Last fall Louise Smith found to her shock and anger that three of her grandchildren, who were on the membership rolls, had been removed.
'When I asked why, he (Stanley Crooks) said it was because I didn't support adoption,' she said.
Tribes such as the Hopis, Navajo and the Crow are big enough to provide ample opportunities for marriage within the tribe, and thus are able to maintain strict blood-quantum requirements.
'The whole purpose of these requirements is to make sure tribal members marry other tribal members and maintain the culture,' said Lathel Duffield, branch chief of the BIA's tribal enrollment office in Washington, D.C.
But such a standard is proving increasingly difficult to maintain; many tribes have reduced their requirements. The Mashantucket Pequots, owners of the nation's most successful casino in Ledyard, Conn., now require only one-sixteenth blood.
Other tribes have dropped blood requirements altogether and require only proof of lineal descendancy for membership. This was the plan in Shakopee last winter.
'Intermarriage is most cases is not an option for most for these folks. So the tribe is naturally diluting itself,' said Roseann Campagnoli, a spokesman for the tribe and chairman Stanley Crooks.
'Grandchildren aren't going to make the 25 percent cutoff, so what do you do? Does the tribe end?'
Smith, her daughter Winifred Feezor and others successfully blocked the adoption on grounds the tribe's 1969 constitution requires members prove to have a minimum of one-fourth Mdewakanton blood.
They argue that there are at least 60 Mdewakanton Sioux living off the reservation who would easily qualify.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs agreed on the constitutional requirement, but the issue is still working its way through tribal courts.
Smith, who lives in an old, wooden mobile home, says she doesn't care about the money.
She is concerned, she says, about the loss of Indian values and culture if the requirements are reduced on a reservation that may now be the most affluent in the nation.
'I guess there just won't be any more Indians eventually,' she said. 'They'll just fade away.'
The Shakopee Mdewakanton Dakota tribe in Minnesota is one of the wealthiest tribal nations in the United States, thanks to its two thriving casinos. Court records indicate that each adult in the tribe earns $84,000 monthly, adding up to a handsome personal income over a million dollars per year. In 2012, the Shakopee tribe donated millions of dollars toward the welfare of other Native American tribes as well as six local governments. Life for the Dakota tribe was not always this prosperous, however; theirs is a rags to riches story.
Dakota Tribal History
The Shakopee tribe's bumpy road to success began 200 years ago. In spite of their current wealth, tribal members for the past two centuries saw more than their share of heartache, poverty, and despair. The story begins in 1805, when European settlers and U.S. soldiers barged in on the Native Americans and tried to take over their territory.
1800s: U.S. Soldiers Interfere
Prior to 1805, the Dakota were living peacefully and self-sufficiently in the territory of Minnesota. In 1805, U.S. soldiers descended upon the tribe in attempt to take over the land. For the next 50 years, the natives tried to cooperate, albeit unhappily, with the settlers who wanted to reform their land and their way of life.
1862: Peaceful Dakotas Finally Fight Back
In 1862, the natives could take it no more. They resorted to physical battle with the Americans in attempt to defend their land and their way of life. The U.S. government responded to the violence bybanishing tribal members from Minnesota. Most fled to Nebraska and South Dakota, but a few stayed on.
1890s: More Struggles for Those Who Stayed
In the 1890s, the U.S. government acknowledged the strong Dakota presence in Minnesota. Some land was reallocated to the tribe, but the living was still hard. For the next 100 years, the Dakota of Minnesota lived in poverty, struggling to get their needs met.
1969: Shakopee Federally Recognized as a Tribe
In 1969, the Shakopee were finally recognized by the U.S. federal government as a tribe. Federal support and funding gave them the seed money to develop economic and social infrastructures. This marked the beginning of improvement, although many individuals still struggled at this time.
1980s-1990s: Casinos Open, Prosperity Knocks
Shakopee Mdewakanton Tribe Casino Entertainment
In the 1980s, prosperity finally knocked on the Shakopee's door. The tribe opened the Little Six Bingo Palace, their first endeavor in the gambling industry. In 1992, Mystic Lake Casino opened its doors, solidly paving the tribe's way to security and wealth. In 2007, the original Little Six Bingo Place was transformed into the Little Six Casino, an offshoot of Mystic Lake Casino. The success of these facilities cemented the Shakopee reservation's reputation as a thriving casino Mecca in the St. Paul/Minneapolis area.
2013: A Tribe of Millionaires
Shakopee Mdewakanton Tribe Casinos
As of 2013, all adult members of the small Minnesota tribe are millionaires, their fortunes assured for years to come. The Shakopee story is a terrific example of how gambling facilities can stimulate economic growth and promote financial wellness in a previously impoverished area.
The Generosity of the Shakopee
In spite of its tumultuous past, much of which was caused by the interference of others, the Shakopee remains a compassionate and charitable tribe. Since 1996, they have loaned over $500 million to other tribes in need. In 2012, over $15 million in grants was donated to fellow tribesmen. In addition, the tribe gave $900,000 to help fund six local, non-tribal governments. This benevolence demonstrates the deeply instilled Shakopee value of sharing resources with others.
Mystic Lake Casino
Mystic Lake Casino is the Shakopee's largest gambling facility. It stands beside Mystic Lake, a man-made body of water in Prior Lake, Minn. Although the facility opened in 1992, it did not begin serving alcohol until 2012. Nevertheless, the casino has enjoyed great success, as evidence by the extreme prosperity of the Shakopee.
Mystic Lake Hotel is adjoined to the casino and offers 17 floors of accommodations. Gamblers enjoy round-the-clock slots and blackjack and a 500-person bingo hall. Guests who need a break from gambling can take in a show at Mystic Lake's 2,100-seat venue, relax at the hotel spa, or work out in the fitness center. Eight restaurants of different styles and price ranges are available for patrons' dining pleasure. The hotel maintains a reputation for clean rooms and excellent service.
Mystic Lake Performances
Mystic Lake offers frequent music and comedy concerts that appeal to audiences of all ages. Upcoming features at the Mystic Lake Casino Showroom include legendary musicians Engelbert Humperdinck and B.B. King, classic rock bands Foreigner and Yes, comedienne Lisa Lampanelli, and comic singer 'Weird Al' Yankovic. Free concerts are given every Saturday night on the Promenade Stage as well.
Little Six Casino
Little Six Casino, once titled Little Six Bingo Palace, is named after the Indian chief who led the Dakota uprising in 1862. This casino offers slots and blackjack just like its sister facility, Mystic Lake. Only one restaurant operates at Little Six, and patrons seeking entertainment are referred to the Mystic Lake Casino concert schedule.
Other Tribal Gaming in Minnesota
Native American tribes operate a total of 18 casinos in Minnesota. These casinos are managed by the Dakota, Ojibwe, and Chippewa tribes. The Minnesota Indian Gaming Association (MIGA) estimates that tribal gambling has created over 40,000 jobs in the state, stimulating the economy and significantly reducing federal and state welfare expenditures → read more about other native American casinos.
Most Reservations Still Struggling
Despite the high degree of wealth on the Dakota reservation, the Minnesota Gaming Association indicates that most Indian reservations in the U.S. suffer unacceptable rates of poverty. More improvements are needed before the 'past 200 years can be offset,' according to the association.
Internet Gambling: A Threat to Tribal Casinos
The recent growth of corporate casinos and Internet gambling in the U.S. is a cause for concern for natives on reservations with casinos.
Today, about 10 percent of all gambling revenue in the U.S. comes from Native American tribes. With the expansion of corporate gambling, especially cyber gambling, that percentage could shrink. For now, however, the Shakopee continue to thrive, and their financial generosity continues to be a benefit to others.
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