Sep 2, 2010 ... 181 poker players including professional T.J. Cloutier and Annie. Duke, TV ...
received a seat in the upcoming T.J. Cloutier/ Choctaw Poker.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH Grand Casino Mille Lacs Lends a Hand to Help Family Repair and Remodel Home
Members of the Forker family (dark green shirts) and Grand Casino Mille Lacs Lend a Hand Volunteers.
Twenty-three Grand Casino Mille Lacs Associates teamed with BAAS Construction, Inc. of Milaca in August to provide much-needed home repairs and remodeling help to a Milaca mother of six. This project was made possible by the casino’s Lend a Hand program. Lend a Hand annually awards a one-day home makeover to an individual who meets needs-based criteria related to income, physical limitations, medical issues, and/or other challenges. A committee of facilities department associates interviewed six nominees for the 2010 Lend a Hand program and selected Darcy Forker as this year’s recipient. Darcy and her husband started a complete remodel in 2000 to accomodate their growing family. “The intent of the remodel was to add space,” said Forker. But the home remodeling project soon came to a halt due to unforeseen monetary circumstances. The Forkers, including six children, made do with what they had and tried to complete little projects when they could. In 2009, Darcy’s husband left and she had to adjust to life as a single mom, a one-income household, and a house that was falling into shambles. “When we received Darcy’s nomination, we knew that we had to try and find this family some help, so we called to see what BAAS Construction could do, and they didn’t hesitate one bit,” said Jamie Short, Vice President of Facilities at Grand Casino Mille Lacs. “Lend a Hand is a success because of the donations that we receive from local businesses and the time and effort contributed by our associates. We are grateful to be able to help the Forker family and for the community’s generosity.” The joyful mother stood back in awe of all of the repairs that were made. “This means so much to me and my family. I want to thank Grand Casino Mille Lacs and BAAS Construction. They paid so much attention to detail to make sure my family was 100% satisfied,” Forker continued. “I am so beyond grateful.” “We were honored to be a part of the Lend a Hand project with Grand Casino,” said Mark Baas, owner of BAAS Construction. “This experience was memorable and rewarding for us and we are glad that the time we put in is going 84 Indian Gaming
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to help this family remain safe in their home.” The casino received donations and valuable assistance from other local companies including Jim’s Mille Lacs Disposal, Inc., Anton Wood Products, Hirschfield’s in Baxter, MN, Crescent Electric and Grand Casino Mille Lacs’s own facilities, food and beverage, marketing, and security departments. Grand Casino Mille Lacs Associate Jamie Short donated a faucet connection and door trim and Corey and Marie Wind donated a deck for the front of her home.
Konami Corporation Donates $1 Million to University of Nevada, Las Vegas Konami Corporation, a parent company of Konami Gaming, Inc., will donate $1 million to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), announced Kagemasa Kozuki, Chairman of the Board and President of Konami Corporation. “Based on the success of our Gaming & System Business in the U.S. market, we will give back to the community where we operate and donate $1 million to UNLV for school programs and an endowment sum on behalf of Konami Gaming, Inc.,”said Kozuki. "We are deeply grateful for the generosity and support of Konami," said UNLV President Neal Smatresk. "With this focused investment in our gaming management program – including the formation of a scholarship endowment that will benefit students in perpetuity – Konami has become a valued partner in maintaining high-quality academic programs and student support in our hotel college." A $50,000 portion of the sum will be designated to the UNLV Foundation Annual Fund for a five-year membership in the Academic Corporate Council (ACC) Annual Giving program. The ACC program works to invest in increasing possibilities for students and to help recruit top faculty, implement new programs, and provide the tools needed for educational work. $450,000 of the donation will be distributed to an unrestricted expendable KONAMI Gaming Fund for the William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration. The money will work towards the betterment of programs for students, faculty and staff within
the college. $500,000 will be placed in an endowment, to be known as the KONAMI Gaming Endowment Fund for Gaming Management Student Professional Development within the William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration.
Choctaw Casino’s Shawn Marion Celebrity Poker Tournament Gives to Single Parent Families The Shawn Marion Celebrity Poker Tournament recently held at Choctaw Casino Resort, raised almost $70,000 for the Shawn Marion Foundation to continue in its mission to provide lifechanging opportunities and experiences to single parent families. “We appreciate Choctaw’s hospitality and support in our mission,” said Shawn Marion. “We had a successful event that will help provide scholarships for single parents who may not otherwise get the chance to earn a degree.” The No-Limit Texas Hold-em tournament drew a crowd of 181 poker players including professional T.J. Cloutier and Annie Duke, TV reality stars and poker professionals Tiffany Michelle and Maria Ho, Dallas Mavericks Forward Shawn Marion and Dallas Mavericks Owner Mark Cuban. First place winner James Dean walked away with a seat in the 2011 World Series of Poker Main Event compliments of Ultimate Bet. William Richerson came in second and will enjoy a two-night stay at the Sheraton Princess Kaiulani (in Waikiki Beach) Hawaii, donated
Left to right: T.J.Cloutier,Mark Cuban,Annie Duke,Tiffany Michelle,Shawn Marion and Maria Ho.
by Pleasant Holidays. Third place went to Jarett Davis who received a seat in the upcoming T.J. Cloutier/ Choctaw Poker Classic. Brandy Adrian was awarded a watch for coming in fourth and Tommy Kitchens scored two tickets to a Mavericks game and dinner with Shawn Marion for his fifth place finish. Ultimate Bet, one of the largest online poker communities in the world, also donated eight buy-ins to their Sunday $200,000 tournament for those who placed second through ninth. The Shawn Marion Foundation was established by Dallas Mavericks Forward Shawn Marion and will receive 100% of the tournament proceeds. The funds will be used to continue the organization’s mission to provide life-changing opportunities and experiences to single parent families.
September 2010
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COMMUNITY OUTREACH Red Cliff Band to Benefit From $23.5 Million SMSC Loan A $23.5 million loan to the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa from the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community will enable development and upgrades to a new casino/hotel/entertainment and conference center. This development, which will be located on the shores of Lake Superior and adjacent to the Apostle Islands, is being designed to fit into the pristine environment of the area. Financing for the Isle Vista Casino and Hotel project near Bayfield, Wisconsin, is to be provided through the loan to support improvements and upgrades to the existing marina/campground. The new facility will provide 300 slot machines, eight table games, a 60 seat bar and restaurant, a 24 seat snack bar, a 50 room hotel with a swimming pool, and an entertainment and conference center with a banquet capacity of 300 seats. Construction of this new facility is expected to commence this late summer/early fall with completion and opening
approximately 12 months from then. The complex will create up to 110 construction jobs. The operation of the complex will add 50 new jobs to an existing casino staff of 90. “This development is extremely important to the Red Cliff community and to the surrounding area. It will provide a major tourist destination in an area which relies heavily on tourism to support its economy,” said Rose Gurnoe-Soulier, Chairperson of the Red Cliff Band. “The Red Cliff community has been waiting for this for some 30 years. We are very grateful to the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community for providing us the financial and other supportive resources to help us develop and manage this complex. It will create needed jobs and revenue to this tribal community.” “We support this economic development project because it will help improve services for the Red Cliff Band and its members, which is the purpose of Indian Gaming,” said SMSC Chairman Stanley R. Crooks. p
Index of Advertisers 19 AGILYSYS
87 INITIAL IMPRESSIONS
63 AMERICAN INDIAN COLLEGE FUND
83 INDIAN GAMING MAGAZINE
81 AMERICAN RED CROSS
15 KEY BANK
29 ANDERSON DESIGN CONSULTING
23 KLAS ROBINSON Q.E.D.
SEPTEMBER 2010
7 ARISTOCRAT TECHNOLOGIES
25 MEDIA LOGIC
45 ARIZONA DESERT CLASSIC
77 NAFOA
5 BALLY TECHNOLOGIES
31 NATIONAL INDIAN GAMING ASSOC (NIGA)
37 BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS
49 NTGC/R ASSOCIATION
69 BUSS PRODUCTIONS
35 RPM ADVERTISING
10 CASINO CAREERS ONLINE
85 SLOT TECH SCHOOL
33 CHOCTAW CASINO RESORT - DRUM AWARDS
30 SLOT-TICKETS
21, 55 DOUG HYDE STUDIOS
61 SMITHSONIAN NMAI
79 GAMING MARKET ADVISORS
9 THALDEN•BOYD•EMERY ARCHITECTS
39 GASSER CHAIR COMPANY
8 WELLS FARGO BANK
2 GLI 4 GLOBAL GAMING EXPO (G2E) 13 HNEDAK BOBO GROUP 3 IGT
86 Indian Gaming
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27 WESTERN MONEY SYTEMS Back Cover WMS 11 WORLD GAME PROTECTION 17 WRIGHT CASINO MARKETING
