Some tribes have turned to industrial hemp or land-leasing ventures others have launched economic development arms to invest in manufacturing plants, construction companies and other enterprises. Wisconsin’s 11 federally recognized tribes - along with tribal nations across North America - have long weighed how to diversify their economies, and the pandemic illustrated the risk of failing to do so. 'And that begs the question of what we can do to move beyond gaming.' Coburn Dukehart/Wisconsin Watch 'We were hit pretty hard by the pandemic,' he said.

Marlon WhiteEagle, president of the Ho-Chunk Nation, is seen at the State of the Tribes event at the Wisconsin State Capitol in Madison, Wis., on Feb. 'And that begs the question of what we can do to move beyond gaming.' 'We were hit pretty hard by the pandemic,' said Ho-Chunk President Marlon WhiteEagle, no relation to the casino official. That’s forcing tribal leaders to confront their economy’s outsized reliance on casinos. But the pain from the temporary shutdown still lingers for the tribe, manifested in layoffs and cuts to crucial services. Two years later, casino officials say revenue is eclipsing pre-pandemic levels. Patrons didn’t complain as the payouts kept coming, but Ho-Chunk Nation officials hardly felt lucky as their government’s economic engine sputtered amid the public health crisis. 'The secondary maintenance that we had to attend to didn't get done at all.'

It was constant running for all of our employees,' White Eagle said. 'There were quite a few nights where it was just off-the-wall jackpots. Verifying each jackpot kept the former slots department supervisor on his toes as a skeleton crew of his colleagues adapted to pandemic life - installing plexiglass dividers between slot machines and covering shifts for staff who felt unsafe returning to work, he said.ĭespite fewer gamblers on the floor, visitors made larger bets that triggered big prizes. That’s what Brent White Eagle most vividly recalls of reopening the Ho-Chunk Gaming Casino in Madison, Wisconsin, after the pandemic forced a closure that lasted more than two months in 2020. This reporting was made possible with support from the Walton Family Foundation. This story is part of a collaborative series, 'At the Crossroads,' from the Institute for Nonprofit News, Indian Country Today, Wisconsin Watch and eight other news partners, examining the state of the economy in Indian Country.

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