Category Archives: Native American Projects

Following the lead of the Omaha Tribe of Nebraska, the Chehalis Tribe of Washington State asked CC to do an extensive business plan so they too might begin producing their own tobacco products for sale/use on the Chehalis Reservation, as well as be able to export their products for sale to other Indian reservations.  In addition, the Chehalis Tribe was interested in a management plan to build a new smoke shop, gas station and convenience store on the reservation near its highly successful casino.

Capital Consultants provided the Lac Courte Oreielles Ojibwa Tribe in Wisconsin with a financing alternative to improve energy conservation on the reservation at the Lac Courte Oreielles’ Ojibwa Tribal College.

In June of 1999, Capital Consultants was asked to assist the Lac Vieux Desert Casino Resort in Upper Peninsula Michigan to identify the banking portion of what was to be the first Indian Internet bingo site (i.e., online at www.bingo-us.com).

On behalf of Hercules, LLC of California, Capital Consultants was asked to give management consulting and to arrange financing for the placement of 100 slots for the Mohawk’s St Regis tribe as well as to provide management consulting and arrange financing for an Akwesasne Class-2 casino in upstate New York.  Like many tribes, the Mohawk’s  were interested in new business development around their casino, including building a hotel (i.e., 200 rooms), as well as providing utility hookups for motor homes.

In 1998, Capital Consultants assisted the Omaha Tribe of Nebraska and its Washington, DC based law firm, Monteau Peebles, to develop a sales and marketing strategy for the manufacture and export of Omaha brand cigarettes.  The production and sale of cigarettes on Indian-owned lands by the Omaha was the first of its kind.  Although somewhat controversial, one must keep in mind tobacco is considered sacred among Native Americans and, in fact, it was Native Americans who first introduced tobacco to western travelers such as Christopher Columbus and the early Pilgrims more than 500 years ago.  Tobacco continues to be used today by Native American tribes in religious ceremonies and many Native Americans continue to be prolific smokers.  However, it is the general consensus of most Native Americans that it is the White Man who is responsible for contaminating natural, tobacco products with chemicals and additives to make cigarettes more addictive and more profitable, which is why Native Americans began making their own cigarettes in the late 1990s.  Unfortunately, not long after the Omaha brand of cigarettes made its debut, the preferential language and special treatment of large tobacco companies in the Tobacco Settlement made it all but impossible for the Omaha tribe or any other tribe for that matter to produce their own cigarettes.  The Tobacco Settlement requires ALL tobacco companies – even new start-up companies – to pay into the multi-billion dollar tobacco settlement, which brought the plans of the Omaha as well as other tribes to an end.

Under contract with Victor Hugo and the American Indian Association, Capital Consultants was asked to provide management consulting to ultimately attract financing to build a casino and destination resort for the Paiute Tribe of Nevada, featuring a hotel, small casino, retail shopping, spa, and two golf courses on Paiute reservation lands just outside Las Vegas, Nevada.  In addition, Capital Consultants was asked to provide consulting on the possible  creation of a tobacco manufacturing facility on tribal lands within the cities’ designated Enterprise Zone in downtown Las Vegas.

Capital Consultants was asked to assist the collective tribes of North Carolina to find a development partner to build a hotel, strip mall/auto repair complex, and, ultimately, provide financing for an amphitheater and souvenir shop to highlight North Carolina Native American culture and history. Seen as an economic development project by the entire State, this Native American proposal involved all of state’s Indian tribes in a cooperative effort with the State’s Governor and State’s Legislature to create jobs for tribal members living along interstate 95 in North Carolina. The effort was intended to provide an alternative to “South of the Border;” South Carolina’s tribute to Mexico located just across the state-line.