Tribes celebrate record economic impact in Oklahoma

OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma’s tribal nations contributed $23.4 billion to the state’s economy in 2023, according to a study released Wednesday.

Over 55,000 Oklahomans were directly employed by tribes and nearly 140,000 jobs were supported for both tribal citizens and non-citizens, the tribal-backed study found. This totals more than $7.8 billion in wages and benefits in 2023.

Matthew Morgan, chairman of the Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association, said the report “speaks volumes” to the impact tribes have on the state.

“I think Oklahoma should be very blessed to see the impacts that tribes are having across the state. It’s something that they can always look to as well,” Morgan said. “Tribes aren’t going anywhere. We’re not some private industry that will decide to move our headquarters. We’re not going to be sending our money to shareholders across the country or across the world. All that money, all of those businesses, all of those programs and services turn over in our communities multiple times.”

The study, conducted by Kyle Dean, an economics professor and director of the Center for Native American & Urban Studies at Oklahoma City University, used 2023 data from 19 participating tribes. There are 38 federally recognized tribes in Oklahoma.

Dean has compiled three previous reports, published in 2012, 2019 and 2021.

A product of a joint effort between the Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association and United for Oklahoma, a public education initiative supported by a coalition of tribes, the study found that between the 2019 and 2023 budget years, tribal economic activity grew $4.9 billion.

Around $7.4 billion in revenue was generated by tribal gaming and “related businesses.”

The report shows “tribal contributions to the state are both reliable and enduring,” Dean said at an event Wednesday revealing the findings.

“I have to say that I’m unsurprised by the results,” Dean said. “The impact is extraordinary, but it no longer surprises you. The level and growth of impact is consistent.”

Over a third of the visits to tribal gaming and entertainment properties were from out-of-state, according to a 2019 report. This is indicative of the impact gaming has, pulling in tourism that also benefits the surrounding local communities, Morgan said.

Oklahoma’s tribes have exclusivity over gaming through compacts with the state. In exchange, tribes send a portion of the revenues to the state.

With the education portion of their exclusivity fees, tribes contributed $351 million for Oklahoma education programs in 2023, according to the report.

Leaders of six tribal nations celebrated the results of the study Wednesday at the Oklahoma History Center. Each touted the medical centers, homes, education programs, businesses and public infrastructure their tribes funded, often with gaming and tourism as the primary revenue source.

“Gaming revenue for us is just a vehicle that gets us to do all of the things that we want to do for our people and for the surrounding community,” Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma Chairman Jacob Keyes said. “We’re grateful to have that ability. But, it’s only growing, and the more gaming grows, the more that impact grows for us.”

Oklahoma tribes spent $133.6 million on tribal education programs and scholarships. They donated $39.3 million to Oklahoma communities and universities.

Another $582 million was spent on health care services for over 3.5 million unique patient visits, the study found.

Tribal leaders said they often provide services and create jobs in rural areas that would have few resources otherwise.

Choctaw Nation Principal Chief Gary Batton pointed to the drone research and development center established in the small southeast Oklahoma community of Daisy.

“It’s a place where nobody would invest except the Choctaw Nation, and tribes do this all across their various reservations,” Batton said.

The report shows that Oklahoma tribal governments are “doing everything they can” to uplift people in the state and “love” working with other governments to ensure the benefits are “felt across the state,” Morgan said.

“I think the most positive thing that comes from this is that we have objective numbers to walk into the Chamber of Commerce or the state Capitol, and show people the contributions that tribal governments are making across the state,” he said. “… We want to be proud of what we’re doing, but we also want to relay the point that we’re at the table, we’re a part of Oklahoma, and we’re ready to make Oklahoma the best it can be in working together.”

Oklahoma Voice (oklahomavoice.com) is an affiliate of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization, supported by grants and donations. Oklahoma Voice provides nonpartisan reporting, and retains full editorial independence.