The board created to distribute revenue from the Four Winds Casino to local communities finally has some money to hand out.

Until now, casino revenue sharing payments had been withheld by the tribal owners of the Four Winds.

The stalemate that began in late 2007 came to an end today. The tribe handed over an over sized cardboard check for $6,188,408.13. The actual bank transfer had occurred about a week ago.

The dollar amount was big--literally, figuratively, and emotionally. “It’s a very happy day you know. This fulfills years and years of promises,” said Tribal Chairman John Miller of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians.

The agreement that the Four Winds would share revenue with the local communities was signed in March of 2000, although the first check wasn’t signed until now.

“It took quite a while,” said the Chairman of the Pokagon New Buffalo Area Local Revenue Sharing Board, Pete Rahm.

While some feel the process took too long, Rahm had to admit that the timing of the fund transfer turned out to be rather fortunate. “Our local revenues are being reduced because of the economy; the state is cutting back so this came at a real, real opportune time for us.”

Back in late 2007 the tribe basically decided that the money would be placed in an escrow account until the revenue sharing board stopped fighting over how it would be spent.

“Somewhat at the beginning it was a little bit, ‘keep away’ I think it was more centered on the county and New Buffalo Township,” said Three Oaks Township Supervisor Chuck Sittig. “This was much fairer it seemed, because it involved everyone.

Sittig estimated that Three Oaks Township would receive about $155,000. When asked if that was a lot of money, he said, “For us currently, we spend about $80,000 on the ambulance, and $60,000 on the police, and $100,000 with the fire so it would be a sizeable portion for that.”

With the money finally poised to land in the laps of the locals, some are mulling over the purchasing possibilities.

“We’re putting laptops in the hands of every high school student next year we're paying for that in year one through general fund but we may consider using local revenue sharing board monies in subsequent years as that program grows,” said New Buffalo School Superintendent Dr. Michael Lindley.

Lindley also expressed hope that some of the cash would go toward “getting our kids out of fundraising.”

The Superintendent said things like fun fairs and spaghetti dinners would continue, but some in the corporation don’t want kids knocking on doors and selling things.

The money represents two percent of electronic gaming revenue at the Four Winds.

With the cash now in the control of the revenue board, the process of doling it out to other governmental units can begin.

The first step involves reimbursing governmental units for “direct costs.” For instance, if the school system took on a new student who came to town because a parent worked at the casino, then the school system could apply for money to cover the costs of educating that student.