Michigan’s 12 federally recognized tribes made $30.5 million in distribution payments to local governments and schools from casino gaming revenue during fiscal year 2019. Revenue sharing increased 1.1% from fiscal year 2018, which indicates year-over-year growth in net win from slot machines. All tribes ended fiscal year 2019 before the impacts of COVID-19.
The largest distribution was $6.1 million made by the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe. The second largest distribution was $5.9 million, made by the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi Indians. The third largest distribution was $5.7 million made by the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians.
Wayland Township in Allegan County received the largest local government distribution of $1 million from the Gun Lake Tribe, which also made a distribution of $892,000 to Allegan County. The Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians distributed $1.4 million to New Buffalo Township and Berrien County. The City of Mount Pleasant, Arenac County, and Isabella County received $2.2 million in distribution payments from the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe.
The largest fiscal year 2019 distributions were as follows:
- Gun Lake Tribe – $1 million to Wayland Township
- Gun Lake Tribe – $891,614 to Allegan County
- Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians – $803,811 to New Buffalo Township
- Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians – $605,607 to Berrien County
- Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe – $825,648 to City of Mount Pleasant
- Nottaweseppi Huron Band of Potawatomi Indians – $780,109 to Emmett Charter Township
- Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe – $721,064 to Arenac County
- Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe – $637,306 to Isabella County
- Nottawaseppi Huron Band of Potawatomi Indians – $495,477 to Calhoun County Administration
- Little River Band of Ottawa Indians – $431,121 to Manistee County
School districts in the Lower Peninsula also received distributions from tribes. The Nottawaseppi Huron Band of Potawatomi Indians and the Gun Lake Tribe each distributed over $2 million to local school districts in Calhoun and Allegan Counties. The Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians distributed nearly $2 million to Berrien and Van Buren Counites school districts. The Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe distributed more than $1.4 million to school districts in Isabella County.
The largest fiscal year 2019 distributions to school districts were as follows:
- Nottawaseppi Huron Band of Potawatomi · Indians – $2.3 million to Harper Creek Community Schools
- Gun Lake Tribe – $2.1 million to Wayland Union Schools
- Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians – $1.6 million to New Buffalo Public Schools
- Little River Band of Ottawa Indians – $841,409 to Manistee Area Public Schools
- Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe – $703,139 to Mount Pleasant Public Schools
- Nottawaseppi Huron Band of Potawatomi Indians – $571,745 to Calhoun Intermediate School District
- Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe – $495,792 to Shepherd Public Schools
- Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians – $479,594 to Petoskey Public Schools
- Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians – $344,117 to Hartford Public Schools
- Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe – $252,226 to Beal City Schools
Tribal gaming compacts with the State of Michigan require payments to local governments or revenue sharing boards. The revenue sharing amount equals 2% of the tribal casinos’ net win from slot machines.
