Nicole Boyd, Chairwoman
Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa
Legendary Waters Resort & Casino – Red Cliff, WI
legendarywaters.com / redcliff-nsn.gov
BENEFITS OF GAMING: Gaming revenue undoubtedly has a positive impact within our tribe and for our greater community. As the largest employer in Bayfield County, the Red Cliff Tribe and its gaming operation provide vital year-round job opportunities for both tribal members and area residents.
Beyond the economic impacts, Legendary Water Resort & Casino serves as a central hub for many community gatherings, events, and programming. We’ve created a space where both government and community groups can meet and promote initiatives. Through our safe house and shelter services, our operation also serves as an important safe haven for those in need.
I’m particularly proud of our efforts to provide cultural, recreational, wellness, and financial support to our local schools and programs. We’re able to host fundraising functions, and we use gaming revenue to help sponsor various youth trips and programming. Beyond our immediate tribal community, our operation supports non-profit organizations and foundations across the entire State of Wisconsin.
GOALS & INITIATIVES: The tribe is actively working to establish and expand tourism in a sustainable way. We’re very mindful about the balance of preserving and revitalizing
our cultural heritage with providing more tourism and work opportunities for our membership.
Cultural and agricultural tourism continue to move toward the forefront of our tourism sector. Geotourism is also an important growing aspect of our offerings, including the annual Aurora Summit. Hosted in Red Cliff, the summit celebrates the art, culture, science, and photography of the Aurora Borealis. The tribe is developing comprehensive destination tour packages that will attract visitors and boost our local economy.
LEGISLATIVE: The protection of our treaty rights, cultural lifeways, and natural resources are always a concern when dealing with U.S. legislation and politics. Despite our treaty rights being court-affirmed, they are consistently threatened by proposed legislation.
As it relates to tourism, we must be mindful of the current lack of infrastructure in our area. This means growing our tourism industry in a realistic and sustainable way. We are advocating for legislation that would increase our ability to provide affordable housing to retain a consistent workforce, emergency services, adequate road and transportation systems, water and sewer systems, and sufficient amenities for both residents and visitors.