EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT JASON GILES Muscogee (Creek) Nation
Welcome to beautiful California! The National Indian Gaming Association visits Anaheim for the first time in our history after two pandemic interrupted shows. We are excited to be in Anaheim and look forward to our return in 2024. I want to thank Visit Anaheim and everyone at the Anaheim Convention Center for their constant attention and updates throughout the pandemic. Their outreach proved invaluable in our planning and bringing Indian Country to Anaheim. In our last full report from 2019, I wrote about the excitement and energy created on Capitol Hill as we completed our second full year in the refurbished and expanded Headquarters. Little did we know that a worldwide pandemic would soon bring D.C. to a standstill. The Association made adjustments, both financially and administratively, but our advocacy work remained strong. The overriding goal during the pandemic was to protect our number one asset, our dedicated staff working on Indian Country’s behalf in Washington, D.C. Working with the Finance Committee and Treasurer, the Association embarked on aggressive cost-saving measures over the last two years. Due to these cost-saving measures and a successful off-cycle July Tradeshow last year, the National Indian Gaming Association and its staff are off to what should be a great 2022. We also hope to finish the last part of our Headquarters expansion, a state-of-the-art “Tribal Leaders’ Lounge” in the downstairs part of the Association’s building. The Lounge will be available for all of Indian Country to come and relax between meetings on Capitol Hill or bring visitors to a little slice of Indian Country in Washington, D.C. As we begin 2022, there is a lot of legislative and regulatory work ahead regarding Tribal tax laws, gaming regulation, and protecting our Tribal Governments from a new wave of overbearing State demands on tribal gaming. I am proud to serve Indian Gaming in a role that helps to bring
14 INDIAN GAMING - ANNUAL REPORT 2022
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