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