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- By Native News Online Staff
This week in Tribal Business News, a Michigan tribal enterprise plans a sprawling 1,200-acre development project, a tribe in Washington is getting a multi-million dollar boost for its port infrastructure, and a new policy brief aims to create pathways for landback.
Gun Lake Tribe begins planning for massive 1,200-acre mixed-use development
The Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians, or Gun Lake Tribe, plans to transform hundreds of acres of property north of Gun Lake Casino in West Michigan into a massive development that could include retail, health care, housing and manufacturing. “The planning phase will really be about figuring out what are our constraints and opportunities and what we can target first.” Monica King, CEO of Gun Lake Investments, said, “This is really a 25-year-plus project and will be such a huge project. We really do need to make sure we get everyone involved.”
Swinomish Port Authority plans $11M in improvements to support tribal fishers
The Swinomish Port Authority, one of the few tribal ports nationally, will use an $11 million award to fund a new boat launch with gear and boat storage, a new commercial pier in front of the tribe’s fish plant and moorage replacements. The funding will also go to help the tribe develop a comprehensive plan for future development.
Harvard Project policy brief outlines ways to use GIS for landback initiatives
A new report from the Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development aims to provide a comprehensive starting point for both tribes and state governments in outlining a clear path for landback and how geographic information systems can drive landback opportunities forward. Laura Taylor, who co-authored the “Considerations for Federal and State Landback” policy brief, talks about finding “win-win” solutions and how state land checkered through reservations inhibits economic and cultural growth.
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As well, Cherokee Nation offers financial and strategic support for tribal art; two South Dakota CDFIs get $4M to re-lend for mortgages; and the BIA announces a $45M for climate resiliency projects in tribal communities.
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