Construction on Four Winds South Bend Casino begins

(PRESS RELEASE) -- National Indian Gaming Association Chairman Ernie Stevens, Jr., joined the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians at a press conference as the tribe announced the start of construction for their Four Winds South Bend Casino to be located in South Bend, Indiana as part of their 166-acre Tribal Homeland Restoration project.

The Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians announced last month that the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) approved its application to take into trust 166-acres of Pokagon Band land located in South Bend, Indiana. This historic decision to restore the Pokagon Band's ancestral homeland marks the first restoration of sovereign tribal land in the state of Indiana. The tribe also announced the Tribal Homeland Restoration project, which includes a tribal housing project, a community center as well as facilities for health services and the Casino.

The Four Winds South Bend Casino is scheduled to be complete in early 2018 and is anticipated to employ approximately 1,200 people at the casino, and an additional 700 jobs will be created during the construction phase. Once complete, the Four Winds South Bend Casino will include 1,800 Class II gaming devices, four restaurants, a player's lounge, a coffee shop, two bars and a retail outlet.

Chairman Stevens joined Pokagon Chairman John Warren, the Pokagon Tribal Council, Four Winds Casino representatives, as well as City of South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Councilman Oliver Davis (6th District.)

Chairman Steven said, "I am honored to be here with you today as you announce the construction of the first tribal casino in Indiana, and I congratulate the Pokagon Band on this historic 166-acre Tribal Homeland Restoration."

"The construction of the Four Winds South Bend Casino is another great testament to Indian gaming and all that it brings to our tribal communities," Stevens continued, "Tribal government gaming is more than operating casinos, it is the mechanism that provides additional revenues to help address tribal governmental services and employment and economic opportunities beyond gaming."

"While our distant past has its share of challenges, today we walk together moving our economy forward, creating jobs and working together for the betterment of communities. From our $100,000 million dollars in charitable contributions to creating over 300,000 direct jobs and some 650,000 indirect American jobs nationwide, Indian country is doing our part to the success of the economy," Stevens said.

Stevens said, "Because of the continued development of gaming properties throughout the tribal gaming industry, Indian gaming continues to see revenue growth."

In July, the National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) reported that in 2015 Indian gaming revenues continued on its steady growth path, resulting in nearly $30 billion dollars captured, which represents the largest increase in revenue that Indian gaming has seen in over ten years. Stevens added, "This is because of the hard working, dedicated individuals throughout the Indian gaming industry. I am confident that we will once again see positive growth in 2016, as we see indicators to that trend once again."

Partners supporting the Pokagon Band and Four Winds Casinos in the construction of Four Winds South Bend include, Architect, HBG Design, Memphis, Tenn.; Civil Engineer, Wightman, and Associates, Benton Harbor, Mich.; Construction Management Company, F.A. Wilhelm, Indianapolis, Ind.; and Owners Representative, Kramer Management Group.