The Gun Lake Tribe this morning announced details of its fall revenue sharing payments.

The State of Michigan received $3,974,387, and the local revenue sharing board received $1,823,054. Gun Lake Investments (GLIMI), an economic development entity, received $1,192,316.

The revenue sharing payments are distributed semi-annually under terms of the tribal-state gaming compact. The figures are calculated from electronic gaming revenues reported from April 1 to Sept. 30, 2016.

“This revenue sharing distribution is the result of government-to-government cooperation for the benefit of all Michiganders,” said Scott Sprague, chairman of the Gun Lake Tribe. “The state revenue sharing payments help to fund economic development projects beyond West Michigan, while the local revenue sharing payments are important for municipal services and public education.”

The Gun Lake Tribe and the State of Michigan executed a gaming compact in 2007 wherein the tribe agreed to share a percentage of electronic gaming revenues with state and local governments. In July 2016, the tribe and state announced a partial settlement agreement to resolve an interpretation of the tribal-state gaming compact.  The agreement directed a portion of Gun Lake Casino state revenue sharing payments to GLIMI, which is overseen by the state and the tribe’s economic development corporation, Gun Lake Investments. GLIMI was formed to pursue non-gaming economic development and job creation.

The state revenue sharing payments depend on continued preservation of exclusive gaming rights within the tribe’s competitive market area, as defined by the gaming compact, which also includes statewide expansion of certain lottery games. The market area includes the cities of Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, and Lansing, as well as the entire counties of Kent, Kalamazoo and Ingham, among others.

Gun Lake Casino opened in February 2011 and now employs more than 800 team members. The Gun Lake Tribe has now shared $86,627,347 with state and local governments over 12 distributions.

The Local Revenue Sharing Board receives and administers the semi-annual payments. The gaming compact prescribes mandatory funding to local municipalities for costs incurred due to the operation of the casino; public safety services; and replacement of tax revenue.

The board established by-laws to govern the distribution process. Local payments are made under terms of the gaming compact independent of gaming exclusivity.