ONEIDA, Wis. (WFRV) – A new study highlights the major economic impact that the Oneida Nation has on the state of Wisconsin each year.
Officials with the St. Norbert College Center for Business, Economics, and Analytics recently completed a study entitled ‘The Economic Impact of the Oneida Nation on the Regional & State Economy.’
According to that study, the Oneida Nation pumps over $1 billion into the statewide economy. For just Brown and Outagamie Counties, that economic impact number is over $983 million, which is about $240 million more than the last time the Oneida Nation had a study like this done back in 2018.
“I think it’s mostly growth and some of the economic enterprise,” Kevin Quinn, the St. Norbert College Dean of the Schneider School of Business and Economics, said. “It’s quite impressive to me how the tribe has reinvested in their resources.”
Quinn said that the Oneida Nation has seen economic growth at their gas stations, hotel, and other retailers.
The study also found that the Oneida Nation generates about $94.1 million in government revenue, with $32.2 million of that staying in the state of Wisconsin. The Oneida Nation also supports about 5,883 jobs.
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“So we’re on a good path, and we’d like to maintain that and get a little more growth going,” Oneida Nation chairman Tehassi Hill told Local 5 News.
The St. Norbert economists who conducted the study said about a third of the Oneida Nation’s economic impact comes from gaming. That sector alone supports about 1500 jobs.
The Oneida Nation also generates dollars through its hotel, gas stations, and other retailers, and Thornberry Creek at Oneida golf course. A much smaller but still significant slice of the Oneida Nation’s economic impact comes from capital projects, healthcare, housing, human services, internal services, public services, government, and education.
“A frame of mind that we’re always working on is continuous improvement,” Chairman Hill said. “We’ve made it this far (and will look at) what has worked and what hasn’t. Going through this evaluation process, what areas can we expand in and grow from, and what new areas have potential for revenue generation?”
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Hill said they’re working on several projects to help generate future economic growth. He said they’d like to expand their gaming operations and are close to opening the Oneida Nation Museum in a more up-to-date facility.
“Although I am proud of our economic contributions, we still have needs to be addressed in our community,” Chairman Hill said. “Affordable housing, mental health, addiction, education, family services, poverty, law enforcement, clean air and water, to name just a few”.
There are over 17,000 enrolled members of the Oneida Nation in Wisconsin.
