Amber Silverhorn-Wolfe, President
Wichita and Affiliated Tribes
Sugar Creek Casino – Hinton, OK
sugarcreekcasino.com / wichitatribe.com
RESILIENCE: Currently, we are promoting long-term economic and cultural resilience in our communities utilizing several significant approaches in conjunction with collaborative efforts. As the only tribal nation who is indigenous to Oklahoma, we are fully invested in revitalizing and preserving our language and culture. Our ancestors have been here since our beginning, and it is important for our children, grandchildren, and future generations to be able to carry forth our traditions.
Since my coming into office in the summer of July 2024, we have reestablished our economic development arm, which is looking to increase support for Native-owned businesses, expanding their scope on innovative business ventures, and increasing their efforts in the non-profit sector where they will be searching for and utilizing grants related to mentorship, education and community outreach. When I worked for our tribe previously in tribal education, we offered business management and financial literacy training in partnership with AISES, our 8(a) companies, state agencies, and other Native-led organizations, which will be something to pick back up and build upon. We have developed curriculum rooted in Wichita ways of knowing, expanded efforts related to the revitalization of our language and are continuously working to develop sustainable practices by being intentional on how we operate while also incorporating traditional practices. Overall, we have been working diligently to get to a place where we are able to strategically plan for our time in office and beyond. We want our next generation of leadership to carry forth efforts and to make educated decisions that keep our culture and traditions alive 100+ years from now. It starts with having passion and working together.
GAMING: We have invested a lot of our time assessing what was handed over to ensure we make informed decisions that will impact our gaming and entertainment enterprises in a positive way. Preserving our sovereignty and exercising our rights within has been key in our approach and a primary focus for all we do.
For the first time in our casino’s history, we have hired a Wichita tribal citizen as the General Manger. With her knowledge and vision for the casino, hotel, and the inn and suites, I feel that we are moving in a good direction. Our primary focus thus far has been the completion of our hotel. This undertaking has been demanding, but we are hopeful it will be worth all the time and effort that has been put forth. We also see a need for rebranding and to reinforce our marketing strategies for these enterprises. Our establishment is right off of I-40 and it has a lot of potential that we hope to grow over the next few years.
