Five tribal leaders discuss the steps their tribes are taking to uphold their long-term cultural and economic resilience, and the key focus areas for their gaming and entertainment enterprises. Here is what they had to say…
Coly Brown, Chairman
Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska
WinnaVegas Casino Resort – Sloan, IA
WarHorse Casino – Omaha & Lincoln, NE
Iron Horse Bar & Casino – Emerson, NE
winnavegas.com / warhorsecasino.com / winnebagocasinos.com / winnebagotribe.com
RESILIENCE: Our tribe is aggressively pursuing a diversified economic strategy designed to provide jobs, create economic growth, and generate discretionary income to fund tribal initiatives. Our economic entities – including our gaming operations – directly empower our cultural efforts by providing essential funding for cultural education, language preservation programs, and community cultural events. This economic growth also helps our individual families have a better future through increased job and housing opportunities, allowing them to focus more fully on cultural and community-oriented activities.
GAMING: Our gaming and entertainment focus is currently balanced between leveraging existing successful operations and capitalizing on new market opportunities. We currently operate three distinct gaming entities: WinnaVegas, our primary Class III facility in Iowa; a smaller Class II operation in Nebraska; and new state-regulated gaming facilities in Omaha and Lincoln. Our largest opportunity for growth is currently in off-reservation gaming in Nebraska, and we have plans to begin construction on another facility in South Sioux City in 2026. Additionally, we are working to enter into a compact with the State of Nebraska to allow our Class II facilities to become Class III entities, which will significantly aid their profitability.
At WinnaVegas, which relies heavily on repeat business, our strategy is to continuously refresh the gaming floor, prioritize personalized service and loyalty, and transform the property into a convenient entertainment destination. We are also directing significant capital investment toward diversifying our non-gaming amenities, including our hotel, live entertainment venue, and resort experiences. Looking ahead, we are exploring opportunities for skill-based and interactive games that will attract a younger demographic to our brick-and-mortar facilities. Our three decades of successful operation provide invaluable customer data that will continue to guide our expansion and ensure long-term economic sustainability for the Winnebago people.
Jon Greendeer, President
Ho-Chunk Nation
Ho-Chunk Gaming – Black River Falls, Madison, Nekoosa, Tomah, Wisconsin Dells – Wittenberg, WI
ho-chunkgaming.com / ho-chunknation.com
RESILIENCE: The Ho-Chunk Nation continues to take meaningful steps to ensure the long-term economic and cultural resilience of our community. Our focus remains on diversifying our economic base while protecting and revitalizing our language, culture, and traditional ways of life. We continue to invest in education, workforce development, and small business support to create opportunities that sustain our people and strengthen our sovereignty. Culturally, we remain dedicated to preserving our heritage through language revitalization programs, youth cultural education, and community gatherings that honor our traditions. These efforts ensure that future generations remain connected to who we are as Ho-Chunk people while building a stable foundation for economic self-sufficiency.
GAMING: Our gaming and entertainment enterprises continue to be a cornerstone of our Nation’s economic strength. The current focus for Ho-Chunk Gaming includes enhancing the guest experience through modernization, expansion, and technological upgrades across all properties. We are investing in facility improvements, entertainment offerings, and digital engagement strategies to remain competitive in a changing market. Additionally, sustainability and community impact remain key priorities – we aim to operate responsibly while contributing to the well-being of our Nation and the surrounding communities. These enterprises not only provide jobs and revenue, but also directly support essential services, cultural programs, and long-term growth for our Nation.
Stephen Roe Lewis, Governor
Gila River Indian Community
Gila River Resorts & Casinos – Vee Quiva – Laveen Village, AZ
Gila River Resorts & Casinos – Lone Butte, Wild Horse Pass, Santan Mountain – Chandler, AZ
playatgila.com / gilariver.org
RESILIENCE: Our gaming enterprises make up a large component of the economic future for our community. Our community has been diligent about expansion of our gaming facilities, and the games that we are able to offer ensure we are able to compete in the marketplace. But, another key focus of the Gila River Indian Community is the protection of our water. The community’s focus on our water as both an economic resource and a cultural resource comes from our O’otham ancestors who were the first irrigators in what is now the State of Arizona. Today, we carry on their teaching to protect our water and to conserve our water today, and for future generations. Together with our gaming, our water resources are our major economic driver to provide for our members and to support our community’s role as an economic contributor to the economy of our reservation and the State of Arizona.
GAMING: At Gila River, we are focused on bringing new experiences and opportunities to our customers. In the hospitality business we always need to evolve and create an experience at our facilities that caters to a wide consumer base. We have been able to do that successfully throughout the years, but like other tribes, we are closely monitoring the potential encroachment of new types of gaming – including prediction markets – and developing strategies to protect our sovereignty as gaming changes to accommodate younger users and the gaming world outside of brick-and-mortar facilities.
J. Conrad Seneca, President
Seneca Nation of Indians
Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino – Niagara Falls, NY
Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino – Buffalo, NY
Seneca Allegany Resort & Casino – Allegany, NY
senecaniagaracasino.com / senecabuffalocreekcasino.com / senecaalleganycasino.com / sni.org
RESILIENCE: Strengthening and diversifying our economy to protect our seventh generation is our priority. The Seneca Nation currently owns and operates 34 different business enterprises across a wide and growing range of industries, from gaming and hospitality to retail, energy, federal contracting and even professional sports.
Earlier this year, we made a historic transaction when we acquired the Rochester (NY) Knighthawks franchise in the National Lacrosse League. The deal not only preserves the team’s presence in Rochester, which is part of our ancestral homelands, it creates new economic opportunity and visibility for our Nation within the Rochester market. This investment, like all our business ventures, generates revenue that supports critical programs and services for our Seneca people and improves the overall quality of life on our territories.
GAMING: On the business side of things, our Seneca Gaming Corporation team is completing a long-term master planning process to determine the future of our three resort properties – Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino, Seneca Allegany Resort & Casino and Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino. There are some exciting investments they will be making at each property in the coming years, as well as plans for other capital projects that are still being finalized. Meanwhile, we continue to try and engage and negotiate with New York State on a fair, new gaming compact. Unfortunately, the progress has been essentially stagnant, and the state’s leaders have shown no true willingness to deal honestly and fairly with the Seneca Nation. We continue our push to get the state to recognize the vital role our Nation plays in the Western New York economy and to put decision-makers, not career bureaucrats, at the table with us. We’re not going to relent in demanding and delivering a fair agreement that prioritizes the needs of the Seneca Nation and our people.
Jesus Tarango, Chairman
Wilton Rancheria
Sky River Casino – Elk Grove, CA
skyriver.com / wiltonrancheria-nsn.gov
RESILIENCE: Wilton Rancheria is proud to call ourselves a tribe of firsts, as we’re taking steps that go beyond the traditional paths many tribes have taken in the past. While gaming, smoke shops, and gas stations have provided an important economic foundation for Indian Country, we’re intentionally thinking outside the box. We’re investing in diverse ventures, such as professional sports ownership, that create lasting opportunities and expand our presence in industries where tribes haven’t historically had a voice. At the same time, we’re making sure that our growth doesn’t come at the cost of our identity. We remain deeply connected to our culture and each other through continued investments in preservation, cultural revitalization, and programs that strengthen and support our tribal community.
GAMING: 2025 is a big year for Wilton Rancheria as we continue to grow and lead in the gaming and entertainment space. At Sky River Casino, we’re making progress on Phase 1 of our expansion plans, which include a brand-new, 1,600- space parking garage, enhanced valet experience, and a reimagined porte-cochère to elevate the arrival experience for our guests. Looking ahead to Phase 2, we’re planning a state-of-the-art, 300-room hotel, outdoor pool, full-service day spa, and an event and entertainment space that will make Sky River a true destination resort. We’re also incredibly proud to have broken ground on the new Railyards Stadium in downtown Sacramento, the future home of Republic FC, in August. As the only federally recognized tribe in Sacramento County, this is a generational investment that reflects our commitment to building a better future here, not just for our tribe, but for the entire Sacramento community.
