Here is a round up of business news briefs from around Indian Country.
Real estate
• The Nez Perce Tribe acquired a 148-acre parcel of land in Joseph, Ore. that had been a traditional village site and the location of a council for Chief Joseph, according to a statement. The property deal for Am’sáaxpa, or Place of Boulders, closed Dec. 9 for an undisclosed amount. The site includes .75-mile frontage on the Wallowa River. Nez Perce Tribal Executive Committee Chairman Shannon Wheeler said the tribe had been working on the deal “for some time” in the hopes of reestablishing “a Nez Perce presence in the homeland of our people.” According to a report in the Wallowa Chieftain, the property includes a century farm and house dating to 1884.
Gaming
• The Kiowa Indian Tribe had an approximately 11-acre parcel in Hobart, Okla. taken into trust by the federal government for the tribe for gaming and other uses. With the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ approval of the tribe’s land-into-trust application, the city’s Hobart Economic Development Authority will convey the title to the parcel at no cost to the U.S. government for the benefit of the tribe, paving the way for its proposed casino at the site located within its historical reservation. “This is a prime opportunity to embark on great purpose for our Kiowa people while providing a community endeavor that will assist with prosperous advantages, and entertainment, to this economically distressed area,” Kiowa Indian Tribe Chairman Matthew Komalty said in a statement. The casino project is expected to employ 156 people and include a restaurant, office space, back-of-house operations, and parking lot.
Economic development
• Arctic Slope Regional Corporation Chairman Crawford Patkotak (Ahkivgak) was appointed by President Trump to become a member of the Arctic Research Commission. The independent federal agency recommends to the President and Congress various scientific research goals and objectives for the Arctic. Patkotak, who lives in Utqiagvik (Barrow), also serves as executive vice president of stakeholder engagement at Arctic Slope Regional Corporation and as vice chairman of the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission. Arctic Slope Regional Corporation is an Alaska Native Regional Corporation owned by 13,000 Iñupiat shareholders.
• The Seminole Tribe of Florida-owned Hard Rock International launched its new Reverb hotel brand in downtown Atlanta, Ga., with other locations planned for “major U.S. cities” over the next two years. The new concept features a “modern, urban design” with an “open, spacious floor plan that encourages conversations, collaboration and creativity,” according to a statement. The 11-story Reverb hotel in Atlanta, which was designed by architecture firm Gensler, features 195 rooms with views of the city’s skyline, and serves as a showcase for the brand, which aims to feature local artists and musicians and cultural attractions in each community.
Health care
• Oklahoma City, Okla.-based Southern Plains Tribal Health Board is one of six Oklahoma-based nonprofits to share about $1 million in grant funding from health insurance provider Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM), according to a statement. Southern Plains Tribal Health Board serves as a liaison between the National Indian Health Board and the 44 federally recognized tribes in Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas. The organization plans to use the funding to improve health outcomes and address specific tribal public health needs through training, education and additional community resources.
