The Perceived Economic, Social, and Cultural Impacts of Gaming on a Michigan Indian Tribe

Western Michigan University ScholarWorks at WMU Dissertations Graduate College 4-2000 The Perceived Economic, Social, and Cultural Impacts of Gaming on a Michigan Indian Tribe Maureen Elizabeth Myers Western Michigan University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/dissertations Part of the Indigenous Studies Commons, and the Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration Commons Recommended Citation Myers, Maureen Elizabeth, "The Perceived Economic, Social, and Cultural Impacts of Gaming on a Michigan Indian Tribe" (2000). Dissertations. 1474. https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/dissertations/1474 This Dissertation-Open Access is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate College at ScholarWorks at WMU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at WMU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE PERCEIVED ECONOMIC, SOCIAL, AND CULTURAL IMPACTS OF GAMING ON A MICHIGAN INDIAN TRIBE by Maureen Elizabeth Myers A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of The Graduate College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Public Administration School of Public Affairs and Administration Western Michigan University Kalamazoo, Michigan April 2000 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. THE PERCEIVED ECONOMIC, SOCIAL, AND CULTURAL IMPACTS OF GAMING ON A MICHIGAN INDIAN TRIBE Maureen Elizabeth Myers, D.P.A. Western Michigan University, 2000 The economic, social and cultural effect of tribal gaming on a Michigan Indian tribe is the focus of this study. Twelve individuals, identified as knowledgeable informants, were interviewed on how the tribal community has been impacted by Hie successful ga m in g operations and whether the nature of the gaming enterprises was an important factor. During the interview process, the members of the community defined the changes in their lives resulting from the large amount of income that was benefiting this previously impoverished community. The participants were asked to describe, in their own words, important changes that had occurred in their personal, family, community and cultural lives. Individuals described their attitudes toward the gaming operations, per capita payments, com m u n ity programs and social problems that were created with the coming of the casinos. While the focus of this study was on the effect of gambling as an economic development tool, to the majority of those interviewed the source Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. of the money was not a major factor. Rather the amount of the money, the ensuing rapid pace of economic change and social conflict were the defining events. The tribe’s economic status and infrastructure have radically improved but at the cost of a loss of com m u n ity cohesiveness. A striking theme that emerged from the interviews was the countervailing trends of rediscovery and strengthening of traditional Native American culture and the new found material wealth being experienced by the tribe which is creating an Indian middle class. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. INFORMATION TO USERS This manuscript' has been reproduced from the microfilm master. UMI films the text directly from the original or copy submitted. Thus, some thesis and dissertation copies are in typewriter face, while others may be from any type of computer printer. The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. 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Bell & Howell Information and Learning 300 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 USA 800-521-0600 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. UMI Number 9963067 Copyright2000 by Myers, Maureen Elizabeth All rights reserved. ___ <$ UMI UMI Microform9963067 Copyright 2000 by Bell & Howell Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. Bell & Howell Information and Learning Company 300 North Zeeb Road P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Copyright by Maureen Elizabeth Myers 2000 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to express my appreciation to the leadership and members of the Saginaw Chippewa Tribe and all the individuals who participated in the interview process. Without their help, none of the research would have been possible. They have given of their time and shared their lives and unique experiences with me. I have learned a great deal from this study and hope it provides insights on this amazing phenomenon that has occurred in the United States in the last decade. Maureen Elizabeth Myers 11 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS........................ ....... ii LIST OF TABLES ...... xii LIST OF FIGURES___________________________________________ xiii CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION... ....................... 1 Purpose............................... 2 II. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND BACKGROUND MATERIALS ............. 4 Gaming History ......................... 4 The Indian Gambling Regulatory Act of 1988 .......... 9 Other Factors Affecting the Spread of Indian Gaming ...... 15 Scope of Activity ................. 16 Economic Benefits of Tribal Gaming ............... 21 State Tribal Benefits ..... 23 Opposition to Indian Gaming ...................................... 30 State and Local Resistance ............... 30 Competitive Opposition ......... 40 Fear of the Criminal E lem ent ....... 41 iii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Table of Contents—continued CHAPTER Effects on Culture and Values. ...... 45 Gambling’s Regressivity ................... 50 Gambling and Economic Development—Theory and Reality ........... 51 The Atlantic City Study ....... 53 Description of Indian Gaming in Michigan ....... 58 Background.. ................... 58 Gambling Profits ........ 62 Assessment of Economic Development ......... 65 The Sault Ste. Marie Tribe.................................... 69 Other State T ribes ........ 72 Newly Recognized Tribes ................. 73 Off-Reservation Gambling ........... .............. 75 The Saginaw Chippewa Tribe ....... 77 Background Summary.................................. 95 HI. RESEARCH DESIGN ....... 99 Selection of Participants ...... 105 D ata Collection ................ 113 Data Analysis ..... 117 iv Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Table of Contents—continued CHAPTER Case Study Limitations .............. 120 IV. FINDINGS... ..... 122 Overview of Findings .......... — ....... 122 Economic Impact on Family ...... 125 Extent of Impact ----- 126 Employment Opportunities ................. 126 Reduced Reliance on Public Assistance ............. 128 Other Positive Impacts on Individual Lives ............. 129 Personal Response ............ 130 Personal Social Lives .................... 131 Tribal Social Life ..................................... 131 Improved Tribal Life ......... ................ 132 Degradation of the Community Life ....... 133 Tribal Life and Relations With the Outside Community............... 136 Description of the Past ......... 138 Living With Poverty... ................... 138 Tribal Diaspora and Boarding Schools .............. 139 Cultural Life................. 140 v Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Table of Contents—continued CHAPTER Renewed Interest in Traditional Culture ......... 141 Christianity and Traditional Beliefs .............. 142 Nature of Traditional Beliefs and Practices ............. 145 Cultural Organizations ..... 147 The Casino and Traditional Activities ...... 150 Gaming Operations. ............ 151 Extent of Involvement With Hie Gaming Operations ... ......................... 152 It’s Not the Gaming, It’s the Money ------- 152 Traditional Beliefs and Gaming ........ 154 The Tribe’s Business ..... 158 Opposition to the Gaming Enterprise ....... 159 Gaming History............................

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