Arizona Gaming Guide Magazine - July 2012
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Transcript of Arizona Gaming Guide Magazine - July 2012
20 Arizona Gaming Guide | July 2012 | azgamingguide.com
Why?
Because in 2002, when voters passed Proposition 202 which
ensured that tribes could continue to have gaming compacts
with the State of Arizona, Tribal leaders established the Arizona
Benefits Fund which shares revenue with all Arizonans. Reve-
nues directly support education, trauma and emergency care,
wildlife conservation and economic development through tour-
ism in this state, issues that Tribal people, like all Arizonans,
care deeply about. The fund also provides revenue to fully sup-
port the Arizona Department of Gaming and various programs
that help problem gamblers.
So how has this worked out?
The numbers tell the tale. The grand total from ten years of giv-
ing back to Arizona is $782,029,895.95 – and growing. Since
2002, Tribes have contributed more than $701,000,000.00 to the
Arizona Benefits Fund which has meant that school districts
statewide have received more than $344,000,000 to pay for
teachers’ salaries, reduce class size, prevent student drop out
and enhance and improve instruction in core subjects like read-
ing and math. Sixty-four hospitals statewide have received
more than $172,000,000 for emergency services and trauma care.
Arizona Gaming Tribes
Here are just a few…
The UMC Level 1 Trauma Center is one of eight centers
in the State and is the busiest trauma center in Arizona. It
serves a population of 1.5 million people. It’s also among
the nation’s leaders in length of hospital stay, low treat-
ment costs, and low mortality rates. According to Peter
Rhee, M.D., medical director, UMC Trauma Program and
chief, Division of Trauma, Critical Care and Emergency
Surgery, UA Department of Surgery, “Without the
money made available from the tribal leaders, the trauma
center in Tucson would not be where it is today.”
Arizona Benefits Fund dollars are supporting Arizona
Office of Tourism (AOT) marketing campaigns and pro-
tecting habitats for Arizona wildlife like Desert Bighorn
Sheep and Gould’s Turkey.
The Willcox Fire Department received $125,000 from the
Tohono O’odham Nation to buy a Type 6 Quick Attack
Truck which is used in wildland fire fighting. “We are a
small community in the southeast corner of the state, and
we are on a state contract to protect wildlands. We work
The math is impressive but the real impact is found in the stories.
These revenues have literally
been true life-savers for all
Arizonans.
Not only do these funds cover unfunded trauma and ER ser-
vices, they are used to improve patient care and patient survival
rate, support education of health care workers and provide
community programs for injury prevention. Both the Arizona
Game & Fish Department’s Arizona Wildlife Conservation
Fund and State Tourism Fund have received almost $50,000,000
each, a revenue stream that has been crucial for these agencies
to achieve their missions, especially during the last few years
when State budgets have dramatically underfunded these ef-
forts.
In addition to these shared revenues, individually Tribes con-
tribute an additional 12% of their net win directly to neighbor-
ing cities, towns and counties to provide revenue to police and
fire departments, social service and cultural organizations and
support myriad other needs. Since 2002, tribes have contributed
more than $82,000,000 to support social, cultural and infrastruc-
ture needs in their neighboring communities.
Ten years of sharing tribal gaming revenues proves that Tribal
gaming produces real numbers, real jobs and real benefits. $
This article and the pictures below are courtesy of The Arizona Indian
Gaming Association (AIGA). For more information, point your
browser to www.azindiangaming.org and www.benefitingarizona.org.
Special thanks to Pam H. & Martha H. at Strateg!es (www.strategies-
az.com), Valerie S., Jason N., and Linda O. at the AIGA.
inside the community and on state lands. I have been
with the city for 17 years and, while we do get grants
from FEMA, this is the largest grant we have ever re-
ceived. Our trucks are 25 to 30 years of age. The City of
Willcox has never before purchased a brand new piece of
firefighting equipment. This is a first time for us,” said
Captain Jack Weaver of the Willcox Fire Department in
2008.
Also that year, the Gila River Indian Community pre-
sented the Phoenix Children’s Museum with a 3-year
grant for $500,000. The money helped complete the mu-
seum which is located in the refurbished Monroe School
in downtown Phoenix.
Celebrate Ten Years of Giving To All Arizonans