Category: News

TUNICA BILOXI TRIBE OF LOUISIANA AND ACACIA ENTERTAINMENT HOST STARS OF WIND RIVER AT PRIVATE FILM SCREENING

Posted on by Alex J.

AWARD WINNING FILM IS LATEST PROJECT OF THE TRIBE’S FILM PRODUCTION COMPANY

 

Marskville, LA – (August 12, 2017) – Stars from the new hit film WIND RIVER joined tribal members from the Tunica Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana for a private screening of the film and Q&A session on Saturday, Aug.12. The event was hosted by the Tunica Biloxi Tribe Economic Development Corporation at the Paragon Casino & Resort. Actress Julia Jones joined fellow Native American cast mates Martin Sensmeier and Gil Birmingham at the screening and participated in a Q&A following the filming.

WIND RIVER is a chilling thriller that follows a rookie FBI agent (Elizabeth Olsen) who teams up with a local game tracker with deep community ties and a haunted past (Jeremy Renner) to investigate the murder of a local girl on a remote Native American Reservation in the hopes of solving her mysterious death. Written and directed by Taylor Sheridan, WIND RIVER also stars also stars Apesanahkwat, Gil Birmingham, Jon Bernthal, Tantoo Cardinal, Graham Greene, Julia Jones, Kelsey Asbille, Martin Sensmeier and Tokala Clifford.

“Acacia Entertainment looks for investment opportunities that reflect important stories,” said Tunica Biloxi Tribal Co-Chairman Marshall Ray Sampson, Sr. “Wind River is one of those projects. Having such a stellar Native American cast on this film helps to highlight those stories. We were thrilled to have Gil, Julia and Martin join us for this special private screening.”

The film is the latest project of Acacia Entertainment, a finance and production company that is a joint venture between the Tunica-Biloxi Tribal Economic Development Corporation, a wholly owned entity of the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana, and Savvy Media Holdings. The film has been lauded for its casting of Native American cast and crew and was an official selection at Cannes.

 

About the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe

The Tunica-Biloxi people first appeared in the Mississippi Valley. In the late 1700s, they settled near Marksville, where they were skilled traders and entrepreneurs. Today, the Tribe has more than 1,200 members throughout the United States, primarily in Louisiana, Texas and Illinois.

The Tunica-Biloxi Tribe received federal recognition in 1981 for its reservation within the boundaries of Louisiana. The tribe owns and operates the Paragon Casino Resort, the largest employer in Central Louisiana. Through its compact, negotiated by the late Tribal Chairman Earl J. Barbry Sr. and the State of Louisiana, the Tribe has assisted local governments in the area with its quarterly distribution of funds, totaling more than $40 million over two decades. For more information about the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana, visit www.tunica.org and “like” us on Facebook.

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Acacia Entertainment’s WIND RIVER premieres on IGN, USA Today

Posted on by Alex J.

To all Tunica-Biloxi Tribal Members:

We are excited to announce the premiere of an exclusive new Jeremy Renner featurette for WIND RIVER. Jeremy Renner and Elizabeth Olsen brave the cold and search for a murderer in the upcoming thriller Wind River (in theaters Aug. 4 in New York and Los Angeles, opens nationwide Aug. 18), which premieres its latest trailer on USAtoday.com.

This featurette went live last week on the IGN Homepage, as well as the IGN Movies Homepage & Social Pages. As you may know, the Tunica-Biloxi Economic Development Corporation (EDC) was a primary investor in this feature through Acacia Entertainment. I would like to extend our thanks to the members of the EDC board of directors for their efforts in this project.

The Tunica-Biloxi EDC serves as the business development arm of the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana with the primary objective of expanding and diversifying the economic base and financial interests of the Tribe while ensuring the wellbeing of both tribal members and the local community.

It is the mission of the EDC to develop sustainable sources of long-term wealth that will improve the quality of life for tribal members while preserving the Tribe’s culture and core values.

The EDC seeks business opportunities that will create multi-industry economic development projects that lead to financial success and advanced employment opportunities where Tribal businesses are located.

–  Marshall Ray Sampson, Vice Chairman

Tunica Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana

See the IGN featurette here.

Full trailer below.

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22nd Annual Pow Wow Reaches Hundreds

Posted on by Alex J.

 

Thank you to every one who participated in our 22nd annual Tunica Biloxi Pow Wow last week. Hundreds came out to enjoy the tribal voices raised in song, prayer and celebration at the Paragon Casino Resort.

Pow Wows in tribal tradition are gatherings to honor native heritage, give thanks to the Creator spirit and socialize with members of tribes from across the nation. From fancy dancers decked out in feathered tail pieces to traditional dancers with bristly porcupine “roach” headdresses it was a weekend to remember. Full photo recap below. Be sure to check out the video coverage from KALB here as well.

 

Tunica-Biloxi Language & Culture Summer Camp – registration now live

Posted on by Alex J.

Tunica Biloxi Language & Culture Summer Camp Marksville

Join us as we learn to speak in Tunica about the sky, sun, moon, weather, clouds and stars!

Guest presenters will enlighten our youth about the vastness of the sky and universe. The presentations will be accompanied by Tunica Language lessons and traditional Tunica-Biloxi skylore.

 

Camp runs June 12 – 16, 2017

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO REGISTER

Governor John Bel Edwards Appoints Tunica-Biloxi Police Chief and Long-Time Tribal Councilmember Harold Pierite, Sr. to the Louisiana State Police Commission

Posted on by Alex J.

Harold Pierite, Sr.-tunicaMARKSVILLE, LA. (March 31, 2017) –  Governor John Bel Edwards has appointed Tunica-Biloxi Police Chief Harold Pierite, Sr. to the Louisiana State Police Commission, representing the State’s 5th Congressional District. He was nominated by Loyola University New Orleans.

Chief Pierite serves as board member of the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana and has been a member of the tribal council for more than 15 years. He has been the chief of police for the Tunica-Biloxi Police Department for more than 20 years, Pierite also sits on the board of directors for Mobiloans, LLC. He is a 1992 graduate of the Acadiana Law Enforcement Training Academy and received his Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in the same year.

Prior to his role with the Tunica-Biloxi Police Department, Pierite was employed as a Mansura patrol officer, Avoyelles Parish Sheriff’s Office patrol officer and a Tunica-Biloxi police officer, serving in some of these positions simultaneously. Pierite is a native of Avoyelles Parish and is married to Heather Walters-Pierite with three children.

Tunica Celebrates Grand Opening of Sylvan Learning Center

Posted on by Alex J.

MARKSVILLE SYLVAN LEARNING CENTER GRAND OPENING

The Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana celebrated the grand opening of a new location for Sylvan Learning Center at its Cultural and Educational Resources Center on Thursday. The satellite center will offer tutoring to children across the Marksville area.

The Tribe would like to thank the Marksville Chamber of Commerce for coming out to mark the event. The opening garnered the attention of Avoyelles Today, KLAB-TV evening and morning news, KLAX.com, the Shreveport Times and The Town Talk.

The new center will offer tutoring services for students from kindergarten through high school, as well as College Prep and Edge & STEM courses. The Sylvan Learning Center is open to tribal families and students from the Marksville area. The center is located at 150 Melacon Road in Marksville. For additional information and to learn more about Sylvan Learning of Marksville visit them on the web at https://locations.sylvanlearning.com/us/alexandria-la/satellite/80789 or contact Thomas Harmeyer at (318) 443-0949 or sylvanmarksville@gmail.com.

 

Tunica-Biloxi Announces Marksville Sylvan Learning Center Grand Opening

Posted on by Alex J.

Sylvan Grand Opening Marksville Tunica Flyer copy

 

Sylvan Learning and the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana are pleased to announce the grand opening of a new location for Sylvan tutoring in Marksville. The new Sylvan Learning Center of Marksville is located in the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana’s Cultural and Educational Resources Center. The grand opening celebration will take place Thursday March 30, starting at 2 p.m. and will feature a ribbon cutting with the Marksville Chamber of Commerce, tours of the tutoring area, refreshment and games, as well as demonstrations for children, students and prospective parents. Official remarks from Sylvan and Tunica-Biloxi officials will commence at 3:30 p.m. The Center will remain open to the public for tours, instruction observation and robotics and Algebra Edge demonstrations until 6 p.m.

The new center will offer tutoring services for students from kindergarten through high school, as well as College Prep and Edge & STEM courses. The Sylvan Learning Center is open to tribal families and students from the Marksville area.

The new location is located at 150 Melacon Road in Marksville. For additional information and to learn more about Sylvan Learning of Marksville visit them on the web at https://locations.sylvanlearning.com/us/alexandria-la/satellite/80789 or contact Thomas Harmeyer at (318) 443-0949 or sylvanmarksville@gmail.com.

 

See a full list of upcoming events here.

THE TUNICA-BILOXI TRIBE OF LOUISIANA AWARDED $2.3 MILLION GRANT TO PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT FOR TRIBAL STUDENTS

Posted on by Alex J.

THE TUNICA-BILOXI TRIBE OF LOUISIANA AWARDED $2.3 MILLION GRANT TO PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT FOR TRIBAL STUDENTS

Marksville, La. – (Oct. 14, 2016) – The U.S. Department of Education awarded the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana $2.3 million over the next four years to improve education and provide native students with the resources needed to be college and career-ready. Through the federal grant, the tribe expects to reduce drop-out rates, enhance academic performance and improve school completion rates for tribal students on the Tunica-Biloxi Reservation and throughout Avoyelles Parish.

“Education holds a great value and we believe it lays the foundation for shaping the lives of our tribal youth,” said Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana chairman Joey Barbry. “We are grateful for this contribution and look forward to leveling the playing field and arming our tribal students with the knowledge and learning tools needed to succeed.”

Through its Native Youth Community Projects grants, The Department of Education, along with the Obama administration, is allocating $18.2 million for community-led projects to help American Indian and Alaska Native students become college-and career-ready. Each grant will support a coordinated, focused approach chosen by community partnership that includes a tribe, local schools and other organizations. The Department is awarding grants to 32 recipients in 13 states that will impact more than 30 tribes and 48 schools, allowing tribes to identify culturally-appropriate, community-specific supports including early learning, language immersion and mental health services.

“We would like to thank the Department of Education for the contribution and especially thank the Avoyelles Parish School Board for their support,” said Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana vice-chairman Marshall R. Sampson Sr. “We are hopeful this program will create greater opportunities for our local youth and their futures.”

The program will be coordinated by grant project director and Tunica-Biloxi tribal member John Barbry. The Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana plans to partner with the Avoyelles Parish School Board, Inter- Tribal Council of Louisiana, Institute for Indian Development, Tulane University and the Tunica-Biloxi Vocational Rehabilitation Program to further its educational services for native students.

 

About the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe

The Tunica-Biloxi people first appeared in the Mississippi Valley. In the late 1700s, they settled near Marksville, Louisiana where they were skilled traders and entrepreneurs. Today, the Tribe has more than 1,200 members throughout the United States, primarily in Louisiana, Texas and Illinois.

The Tunica-Biloxi Tribe received federal recognition in 1981 for its reservation within the boundaries of Louisiana. The Tribe owns and operates the Paragon Casino Resort, the largest employer in central Louisiana. Through its compact, negotiated by the late Tribal Chairman Earl J. Barbry Sr. and the State of Louisiana, the Tribe has assisted local governments in the area with its quarterly distribution of funds, totaling more than $40 million over two decades. For more information about the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana, visit www.tunica.org and follow us on Facebook.

TUNICA-BILOXI TRIBE OF LOUISIANA HOSTS INTERTRIBAL BASKETRY SUMMIT OCT. 29

Posted on by Alex J.

Council

Annual Basketry Classes for Tunica-Biloxi Family Members Return Oct. 5

Marksville, La. – (Sept. 19, 2016) – The Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana’s Language and Culture Revitalization Program (LCRP) announced its Intertribal Basketry Summit and annual Pine Needle Basketry class schedule beginning in October.

The LCRP invites master weavers throughout regional American Indian communities to its Intertribal Basketry Summit Saturday, Oct. 29, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Cultural and Educational Resources Center (CERC), located on the Tunica-Biloxi reservation (150 Melacon Road, Marksville, Louisiana 71351). The inaugural summit will serve as an informal forum for participants to share elements of their culture and demonstrate southeast basketry using pine needle, river cane and palmetto. Master weavers from 11 tribal communities in Louisiana, Texas and Oklahoma will be on hand to demonstrate and discuss their unique styles. Various weavers will have their basket creations available for sale at the event.

The Intertribal Basketry Summit is free and open to the public. Participants at beginner, intermediate and advanced levels are encouraged to attend and learn. Registration for weaver participants is $15 and includes lunch. Participants must register in advance by contacting Ryan Lopez at rlopez@tunica.org or (318) 240-6433.

The LCRP will host its annual series of Pine Needle Basketry classes to enrich cultural traditions for Tunica-Biloxi families Oct. 5 – Nov. 16. The weekly classes will be held from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. each Wednesday in the CERC building.

For more information about the Tunica-Biloxi’s Language & Culture Revitalization Program events and courses, visit www.tunica.org/language-and-culture or call (800) 272-9767.

About the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe

The Tunica-Biloxi people first appeared in the Mississippi Valley. In the late 1700s, they settled near Marksville, where they were skilled traders and entrepreneurs. Today, the Tribe has more than 1,200 members throughout the United States, primarily in Louisiana, Texas and Illinois.

The Tunica-Biloxi Tribe received federal recognition in 1981 for its reservation within the boundaries of Louisiana. The tribe owns and operates the Paragon Casino Resort, the largest employer in Central Louisiana. Through its compact, negotiated by the late Tribal Chairman Earl J. Barbry Sr. and the State of Louisiana, the Tribe has assisted local governments in the area with its quarterly distribution of funds, totaling more than $40 million over two decades. For more information about the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana, visit www.tunica.org and “like” us on Facebook.

TUNICA-BILOXI TRIBE OF LOUISIANA NAMES MICHAEL A. HAMILTON AS GENERAL MANAGER OF PARAGON CASINO RESORT IN MARKSVILLE

Posted on by Alex J.

michael_hamilton_paragon_webThe Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana has announced the appointment of Michael A. Hamilton as general manager of the Paragon Casino Resort. Hamilton will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the facility.

Hamilton brings Paragon over 20 years of experience in the gaming and hospitality industry with his most recent role as vice president of resort operations at Mohegan Sun in Connecticut, one of the most profitable gaming and entertainment destinations in the United States owned and operated under Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority (MTGA) management.

At Mohegan Sun, he was directly responsible for retail development through tenant acquisition and construction development including Mohegan Sun’s current $130-million, 400-room Earth Tower hotel project slated to open this fall and the $13.8-million renovation to Sky Tower, Mohegan Sun’s existing 1,200-room hotel currently underway. His duties included operation of the transportation, engineering and security departments. Hamilton served his local community as an active member on education boards and chambers of commerce, as well as the American Heart Association and the United Way.

“We are proud to have Mr. Hamilton join and lead the team at Paragon Casino Resort,” said Tunica-Biloxi Tribal Chairman Joey P. Barbry. “Michael’s experience working in all facets of gaming and resort operations at one of the world’s most thriving entertainment destinations, as well as his top-to-bottom knowledge and understanding of the business, will benefit Paragon customers and employees.”

Chairman Barbry said Chris J. Barbry Sr., formerly acting general manager, has been named vice president of facilities of Paragon Casino Resort. “We appreciate the hard work Chris has done over the years. His experience is valuable, and we look forward to seeing what he will do as vice president of facilities.”

About the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe

The Tunica-Biloxi people first appeared in the Mississippi Valley. In the late 1700s, they settled near Marksville where they were skilled traders and entrepreneurs. Today, the Tribe has more than 1,200 members throughout the United States, primarily in Louisiana, Texas and Illinois.

The Tunica-Biloxi Tribe received federal recognition in 1981 for its reservation within the boundaries of Louisiana. The tribe owns and operates the Paragon Casino Resort, the largest employer in central Louisiana. Through its compact, negotiated by the late Tribal Chairman Earl J. Barbry Sr. and the State of Louisiana, the Tribe has assisted local governments in the area with its quarterly distribution of funds, totaling more than $40 million over two decades. For more information about the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana, visit www.tunica.org and follow us on Facebook.

About Paragon Casino Resort

Since opening its doors in 1994, Paragon has strived to provide the most entertaining gaming destination in the south. Over the past 20 years, Paragon’s amenities and services have been expanded to create the ultimate gaming experience. The best is yet to come.

Paragon features an impressive lineup of luxury amenities and attractions, including a 531-room hotel; full-service spa and salon; 18-hole golf course with a fully stocked pro-shop and grillroom; indoor tropical pool with a swim-up bar; a soaring retail atrium with “living” bayou and live alligators; three-screen cinema; Atrium Bar with an ice bar; seven restaurants; daiquiri bar; full-service RV resort with 205 slips and 30 cabins; Kids Quest child care activity center; Cyber Quest arcade; over 75,000 square feet of meeting space; and three retail shops.

With more than 1,600 Las Vegas-style slot machines and over 64,000 square feet of gaming action, Paragon also features over 44 table games, including Craps, Blackjack, Roulette and an eight-table poker room. Paragon also has a free player’s club membership program.

Paragon Casino Resort is owned and operated by the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana. For more information, please visit www.paragoncasinoresort.com and follow Paragon Casino Resort on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and YouTube.

About Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority

Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority is an instrumentality of the Mohegan Tribe of Indians of Connecticut and operates two of the most successful gaming and entertainment destinations in the United States, Mohegan Sun in Connecticut and Mohegan Sun Pocono in Pennsylvania. Additionally, MTGA was recently awarded a license from the Korean Government to develop and build a first-of-its-kind integrated resort at Incheon International Airport in South Korea.

MTGA is credited with advancing the once struggling Resorts Casino Hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey, into record profitability over the four years that is has served under its management and investment contract. MTGA’s venture with the Cowlitz Indian Tribe of Washington State will introduce the $500-million-dollar casino project that will be the West Coast’s premier gaming, dining, entertainment and meeting destination slated to open in 2017. MTGA announced a partnership with the Tunica-Biloxi Gaming Authority, the owner and operator of the Paragon Casino Resort in Marksville, Louisiana for a consulting agreement which started in the spring of 2016. More information about MTGA and its properties can be obtained by visiting www.mohegansun.com, www.mohegansunpocono.com, www.resortsac.com, www.ilaniresort.com or www.mtga.com.