For Immediate Release
Media Contact: Mark Gaston
(202) 632-7003
NIGC Announces St. Paul region split to create 8th Regional Office – Rapid City
WASHINGTON, April 19, 2018 – The National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) has announced the official creation of its 8th administrative region during their Listening Session on April 17, 2018, in Las Vegas, NV. This new region would be created by splitting the currently existing St. Paul Region into 2 separate regions, making the Rapid City, South Dakota satellite office a new regional office. This change was discussed during our 2017 consultation series and the Commissioners received comments regarding this proposed change, which have been reviewed and considered.
This decision does increase the staffing at the new Rapid City Region office by 2 full-time employees, including a new Regional Director and Administrative Specialist. No additional costs exist with the Regional Office as the current space leased in Rapid City as the satellite office is now the Regional Office. As demonstrated by the Tulsa Region Split in 2009, the presence of a Regional Director solely dedicated to the new Rapid City Region will allow for better communication between the agency and the affected tribes.
“Outreach to smaller tribal gaming operations in rural areas supports the purpose of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act to protect tribal self-sufficiency and the integrity of the gaming industry, the NIGC hopes that this additional region will further our efforts in supporting tribal self-determination, a cornerstone of our mission here at the agency”, said NIGC Chairman Chaudhuri about the creation of the 8th region.
This split aligns with goals outlined in our 2018-2022 Strategic Plan: Goal 2, Strong Workforce – Maintain a strong workforce both within the Agency as well as with NIGC’s tribal regulatory partners. And goal 4, Rural Outreach – Develop and execute a plan for tribes with small and rural gaming operations that review training, technical assistance, and regulations.
“The NIGC is committed to our rural outreach initiative. The creation of the Rapid City region will sharpen our focus on supporting rural and small operations both in that region and more broadly,” said Vice-Chair Isom-Clause.
The NIGC’s St. Paul regional office currently covers 10 states, 59 tribes, and 138 gaming operations and is the largest administrative region. In 2003, the Rapid City satellite office was added in the St. Paul region to aid the region in reaching the tribal gaming operations in North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, and Montana. With this change the St. Paul regional office would cover only 6 states (Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Indiana, Nebraska and Iowa), 37 tribes, and 99 tribal gaming operations and the new Rapid City regional office would cover 4 states (North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming and Montana), 22 tribes, and 39 tribal gaming operations.
"On behalf of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, I am pleased to hear that Rapid City National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) office will be endowed as the 8th regional office separate from the St. Paul Regional office. The proposal of this strategy has been an ongoing dialogue for many years we are satisfied that this effort is recognized as it will serve the interest of the region as a whole as it allows for the Great Plains tribes voices to be heard." Said Oglala Tribal President Troy S. Weston.
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The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act created the National Indian Gaming Commission to support tribal self-sufficiency and the integrity of Indian gaming. The NIGC has developed four initiatives to support its mission including (1) To protect against anything that amounts to gamesmanship on the backs of tribes; (2) To stay ahead of the Technology Curve; (3) Rural outreach; and (4) To maintain a strong workforce within NIGC and with its tribal regulatory partners. NIGC oversees the efficient regulation of 506 gaming establishments operated by 244 tribes across 29 states. The Commission’s dedication to compliance with the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act ensures the integrity of the growing $31.2 billion Indian gaming industry. To learn more, visit www.nigc.gov and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
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