The View From N.I.G.A

By

Adam Bierman

BRANDX GROUP Foreman

I recently took time out to participate in the National Indian Gaming Association’s tradeshow in San Diego, and found myself impressed and awestruck. I am always fascinated with the opportunity being captured by the Native American tribes involved with gaming, and I am simultaneously awestruck by the prospects that are still being left on the table.

I spoke on a panel titled “Procurement in the Indian Gaming Industry” where well intentioned, engaged parties attended to learn more about the issues facing Indian Casino properties regarding their selection process of vendors. How do you choose the best vendor for the property and how can you foster internal economic growth by preferring Indian owned vendors?

What could have been a mundane topic turned into a dynamic discussion that all led back to the difficulty facing Indian Gaming establishments working out systems to build stronger economies for their communities.

Vending and procurement seems so boring and non-important but the opposite is true. An Indian Casino is in many instances the opportunity to create not only jobs for the community but to ignite business growth. An Indian casino should create new construction businesses, food and beverage businesses, consulting businesses, security businesses and the list goes on. These businesses within the community will create even more jobs and help diversify commerce on the tribal land.

Now for the twist in my outlook: it all circles back to marketing. The economic maturity that is necessary to build these businesses to service the casino and grow the local economy starts with entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs act on opportunity. When the community begins to effectively market the opportunities available, entrepreneurs will step up and take advantage. In the room for my panel were a slew of non-Indian owned businesses that service Indian Country. They were in attendance due to their awareness of the tremendous opportunity it presented to develop new business. Where were the vendors from Indian Country? This event was the absolute greatest opportunity for them to make contacts, network and promote their business and I ran across only one Indian owned vendor!

These potential entrepreneurs come from the same stock as the people that hosted this extravaganza. Tribal leaders running the casinos are all savvy, intelligent, ambitious individuals or they would not be experiencing the success they are. So where is the marketing? How are we getting the future leaders excited about business opportunity? Where is the promotion making businesses or potential businesses aware of the needs the casino presents and how those needs can be serviced? As these voids are filled we are going to see maturation in the economies on tribal lands, leading to more sustainable and diversified economic futures.

Adam Bierman, President of The BRANDX GROUP is a marketing and branding expert in Los Angeles, California.