HEADLINES
	Ahfachkee School Celebrates Spring Festival
	WSBC Interviews Michael Moorer
	BC Host Caregivers Appreciation Luncheon
	Tribal Wrestler Places Second In State
	Krystle Young, Seminole Artist
	Naples Community Meeting Held
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Naples Community Meeting Held

By Libby Blake
NAPLES — O.B. Osceola, Jr. hosted a community meeting for Tribal members living in the Naples area. The event was held on Sunday, Feb. 23, at the La Playa Beach Resort.
Corey Billie started the evening with a prayer. Osceola then introduced Tribal officials Mitchell Cypress, Max Osceola, Jr., and Sally Tommie, thanking them for all their work for the entire Tribe.
Invited speakers included Board Executive Administrator Jim Edenso and Gaming Department Director Jim Allen, Compliance and Regulations Director Edward Jenkins, and Division Operations Officer Dale Hipsh.
Edenso presented the goals of Seminole Tribe, Inc. and his role, for which he was specifically hired about a year ago, to diversify the entity. Tobacco still remains the largest enterprise for the Board with an annual budget of $91 million per year and net profit between $3 – 4 million per year.
Osceola provided everyone with a copy of the Board’s by-laws of incorporation, including all current business enterprises under the Board’s jurisdiction. Edenso also stated that the goals of the Board are to increase or enhance these businesses and to branch out into other businesses.
Currently, the Board is looking at companies that will return a minimum of 25 percent profit to the Tribe before being considered as feasible for investment. Edenso said they are encouraging Tribal members to bring in entrepreneurial ventures for consideration. The ultimate goal of the Board is to provide a monthly dividend to all Tribal members.
Some ideas on the table for consideration include a 150-unit hotel in Immokalee, a discount service station (like those offered at Cosco) at the entrance of the new Hollywood Hard Rock Casino and Hotel, and incorporating the fairgrounds, Okalee museum, and the rodeo arena into the overall Hard Rock complex.
By way of introducing Jim Allen and the Hard Rock project, Hollywood Councilman Max Osceola, Jr. said, “We first started considering enlarging our gaming operations because our current facilities were over-full. People have asked me about the costs involved and I tell them you’ve got to spend money to make money. And even though I’m elected from Hollywood, my responsibility, and that of all the elected officials, is to the Tribe as a whole. We have to do what we think will benefit everyone and weigh that against every expenditure.”
Allen then presented, in detail, both Hard Rock projects and projected completion dates for all phases of each entity. He told the group that Native American casinos do more business than Las Vegas and Atlantic City combined – about two and a half billion dollars more per year.
Allen also said that the Tribe had finally reached agreement with the state over the renovation of the U.S. 441 corridor. The deal will greatly improve the aesthetics of the area without costing the Tribe any money or land. Previous deals, rejected by the Council, were always contingent on the Tribe providing one or the other.
The floor was then opened to the community members for questions, after which dinner was served buffet style.
“I was really happy with the turnout and hope to have similar meetings on a monthly or every other month basis to keep our people informed. I’m also looking into obtaining office space in Naples where the people can come to get their dividend checks, ask questions, or get assistance as needed,” said Osceola