More than $150 million was shared with local and state governments since the Gun Lake Casino in Michigan opened nearly 10 years ago. Employing more than 1,100 people, the casino operates while following strict health and safety guidelines during the pandemic.
Gun Lake Casino Shares $150m in Michigan and Beyond
Since its opening in February 2011, the Gun Lake Tribe has now shared more than $150 million with Michigan state and local governments. The operator has had 20 distributions putting the exact figure of its contributions at $150,047,785 over the last 10 years, the Tribe has announced earlier this week.
“This distribution would not be possible without the dedication of our executives and team members at the casino.” Bob Peters, Chairman of the Gun Lake Tribe
In a statement, Bob Peters, Chairman of the Gun Lake Tribe, revealed that the Tribe’s commitment to making a difference in the local community has never been stronger. He added that the distribution would not be possible without the dedication of the Tribe’s executives as well as casino team members. In conclusion, Peters thanked the Gun Lake Casino employees and congratulated them for helping the company surpass $150 million in revenue sharing.
The Operator Follows Strict COVID-19 Health and Safety Measures
In light of the ongoing pandemic, the Gun Lake Casino has recently announced that it has reduced its working hours. Furthermore, some amenities such as food and beverages were closed. The operator also discontinued the sale of adult beverages and banned smoking while increasing the sanitation efforts in order to reduce the risk of COVID-19 spread.
Another measure which the operator took was the “Play it Safe Initiative” which ensures safe environment for employees and guests. With that in mind, currently, the Gun Lake Casino employs more than 1,100 people.
Despite the Pandemic, the Operator Shared $5.7 Million with State and Local Governments
The Gun Lake Tribe also revealed details of its revenue sharing payments for this fall. This fall, the Tribe has shared some $5.7 million with state and local governments, which is the lowest ever shared distribution in a six-month period. However, the numbers do not come unexpected, considering that the casino was shut down for nearly three months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the Tribe, the State of Michigan received some $3,293,020, while $1,475,308 was distributed to the local revenue sharing board. Another $987,906 was also received by the economic development entity GLIMI. Focusing on the total, for the period from April 1, 2020 to September 30, 2020, the revenue sharing distribution reached a total of $5,756,234.