Win Some Lose Some Essay Example for Free

Win Some Lose Some Essay Casinos are more and more common in small communities. With this being said small communities are changing into a gambling economy. There are both negative as well as positive impacts of casino gambling on the economy. In some cases the positive aspects outweigh the negative. Casinos are good sources of economic development, creating jobs and providing resources needed to build a better economy. A casino is a good choice as to help with economic development. This is a great way to attract people who bring in revenue. Take the Northern Quest Resort Casino as an example; it is located in Airway Heights which is a small city. A once small town is now popular with the excitement of a casino. Before the casino there was just an airport, and an Air force base. Now that there is a casino there are a lot more stores, housing, and people. The growth of the economy is slowly increasing with Wal Mart, Village Center Cinemas, Spokane County Raceway, and of course the casino. When the casino was created many new jobs and opportunities were made for local people. There were many jobs before the actual casino was open which was construction and after it was built there were numerous jobs inside of the casino. The construction jobs declined once the casino was complete but there were still jobs inside of the building. The Kalispel’s HR department preferred to hire Indians only. The Kalispel Tribe and Northern Quest Resort Casino created approximately 1,600 jobs and about $1.1 million each month in local or locally affiliated goods and services. (Northern) However, the downside of a casino is that the community turns into a gambling economy and there can be negative consequences. State governments continue to have concerns surrounding organized crime’s attraction to Indian gaming. (Native) Residence in the area gets addicted to gambling, to the thought of winning big. Gamblers have the belief that if they keep playing then they will win. Addiction makes people do irresponsible things. Debt is major problem when it comes to gambling. People will go as far as theft, embezzlement, or even suicide. These actions make for a broken family. Counseling is the best way to go for a gambler’s addiction. In the end it all comes down to the people in the community and their own choices they make. Choosing whether to gamble or not is entirely up to them. They have the right to do whatever they please and do whatever is best for them. It also presents problems in neighboring communities. In the result of the casino local industries had lost business due to the competition. For example The Davenport hotel had lost numerous guests to the Northern Quest Casino after they added the hotel. (Kamstra) Local businesses are losing revenue due to the casino but in a way the casino is actually bringing in more people than before. The revenue has grown rapidly and the combined revenues of all gaming enterprises in the United States are reported to be on the order of $75 billion per year. (Henson) The casino has a tremendous profit and where is the money going? The Northern Quest Casino is owned by the Kalispel tribe of Indians, money then goes back to the tribe. A wellness center was built not too long ago with the funds. If Kalispel tribal members wish to go to college then the tuition is fully paid for through the tribe. The Kalispel tribe also provides financial support to regional nonprofit organizations; they have donated over $5 million so far. The Kalispel Charitable Fund focuses on education, health care, arts culture, social services and environment conservation in the Spokane and Pend Oreille counties. The Northern Quest Resort Casino partners with the Harvest food bank to help fight hunger in Eastern Washington and North Idaho. The revenue from the casino also goes into the local community, schools, police, and produces tax revenue to keep the casino there. The casino mainly brings money into the government, charities, and workers. (Charitable) Luckily the Northern Quest Casino is not far from the Spokane International Airport, this means that many traveling people can stop by during a layover and try their luck. Along with all of the gamblers there are people who would want to see the scenes or come for events taken place at the casino. The Northern Quest Casino has a hotel, a club, sporting events. They put on concerts and pow wows as well. Events like these bring in many crazed fans and many Native Americans. During European colonization Native Americans’ lives were changed. Native Americans lost their land, caught diseases, and were forced to do many things. They were forced to assimilate and were forced to convert to Christianity. They basically lost everything, including their freedom. In a way people owe it to Native Americans to let them evolve as a sovereign nation and improve their economies. For once Native Americans are at their best. Gaming is giving Native Americans their tribal economic independence. Native American tribes have come a long way with becoming a sovereign nation compared to the past, they get to set their own gambling regulations and have their own casinos. As of mid-2006, 224 of the 561 federally recognized tribes operated gaming operated gaming enterprises. (Henson) The Spokane tribe of Indians located in Wellpinit is one tribe that is trying to get their economy going. They currently have two casinos, three gas stations, camping grounds, an amphitheater, and a marina where boat houses can be rented out. One casino is located on the reservation and the other is located in Chewelah. Their goal is to have a successful casino in Airway height just like the Northern Quest casino sometime soon. The Spokane Indians put on many events throughout the year such as Jam Fest, Native American Heritage Day, Poker Run, art auctions, many pow wows, and they put on concerts every weekend during the summer at the amphitheater. The growth in the number of Indian nations having gaming enterprises is increasing. This industry keeps evolving as tribes with services expand. Casinos have definitely brought in many rewards and benefits to the tribes and surrounding areas. Works Cited Charitable Fund. Kalispel Tribe. 2009. Web. 10 Nov. 2012. . Davis, Mary B. Native America in the Twentieth Century: An Encyclopedia. New York: Garland Pub., 1994. Print. Henson, Eric C. The State of the Native Nations: Conditions under U.S. Policies of Self-determination : The Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development. New York: Oxford UP, 2008. Print. The Kalispel Tribe of Indians ‘ website gives a great example of the good of having a casino which is they give to a charity. Kamstra, Brooke. Personal interview. 17 Feb. 2012. I felt it was suitable to put that the casino has been a competition ever since it added a hotel. The personal interview was from an employee at The Davenport hotel. Northern Quest Resort Casino. Kalispel Tribe. 2009. Web. 15 Nov. 2012. .