Although casinos draw most of the attention, Oklahoma Native American tribes are also involved in numerous other industries that collectively contribute billions of dollars to the state’s economy each year. (Photo by Kaysha on Unsplash)
OKLAHOMA CITY — With an economic impact of nearly $15.6 billion a year on Oklahoma’s economy, Native American tribes are the best friends the state could have, tribal leaders said Wednesday. The Oklahoma Tribal Finance Consortium released a study that makes the magnitude of tribal contributions clear to heads of state who may not know how the state’s and tribal economies are intertwined.
The report was released at an event at the First Americans Museum in Oklahoma City.
The study showed that Oklahoma’s 38 state-recognized tribes directly employ more than 54,000 people and support a total of 113,442 jobs and provided $5.4 billion in wages and benefits to both Native Americans and non-Native Americans in 2019. The tribes also contributed hundreds of millions of dollars to education, health and infrastructure projects that benefit the state as a whole, the study notes.
“There’s just a lot of confusion; I think there is a misconception about how the tribes and we as the Choctaw Nation are trying to influence and help all of our tribe members and help Oklahoma as a whole,” said Gary Batton, Chief of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, the third largest Native American tribe in the United States.
“All of these things are critical to Oklahoma’s success, and sometimes I don’t think our governor understands these significant implications,” Batton said.
“Two years ago, we made a $600 million investment that created 1,200 jobs in southeastern Oklahoma,” Batton said. The Choctaw Casino & Resort in Durant celebrated its grand opening in August 2021 with a 1,000 room addition to the luxury resort. “There was no mention, there was no discussion. But an Amazon plant came to Tulsa, $350 million, that was the state’s boast.”
“Unlike companies that move due to economic conditions, our tribes are here to stay,” said Victor Flores, president of the Oklahoma Tribal Finance Consortium. “Oklahoma is our home, and we will continue to invest in our communities by creating jobs, providing essential services and developing infrastructure.”
Bailey Walker, president of Oklahoma’s American Indian Chamber of Commerce, said there are now more than 11,000 Native American-owned businesses in the state. Tribes contributed $15.6 billion to the state’s production of goods and services and provided $84 million to local school districts, municipalities, counties and the state to support community initiatives.
Tribal health care facilities provided care that saved the state of Oklahoma $231.7 million by reducing Medicaid Match payments that would otherwise be borne by the state.
The Gaming Compacts — which Gov. Kevin Stitt tried to modify, claiming Oklahoma could get a “better deal” — have netted the state $1.8 billion in exclusivity fees since 2006, the study showed.
Glenna Wallace, chief of Ottawa County’s Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma, said the area known as 4-State Corner has about a dozen casinos that draw visitors from Arkansas, Missouri and Kansas.
“That means we’re bringing revenue into Oklahoma from many other states,” Wallace said. “The impact of this game on Oklahoma is tremendous.”
The report shows that the tribes spent more than $45 million on roads and allocated $530 million to state and local governments in Oklahoma in 2019, the report shows.
“This study shows how important tribes are to Oklahoma’s economy,” said Neal McCaleb, Chickasaw Nation Ambassador to the United States. “We help create sustainable economies through our many valuable jobs and make other significant and impactful investments in our broader communities. This is our home and we look forward to continued growth, growth that will benefit all people of Oklahoma.”
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