Pokagon Band pays City of South Bend $1.2 million

SOUTH BEND, Ind. --- The Pokagon Band announced it has paid the City of South Bend $1.2 million, which is a part of its first installment of payments to the city, since opening back in January.

For the next five years, two percent of the winnings at Four Winds South Bend will go back to the city’s general fund and community development initiatives. The following are the names of community development projects and the dollar amounts the Pokagon Band will give them:

1.      Bowman Creek Project, $500,000 ($100,000 each year)

2.      Boys and Girls Club of St. Joseph County, $100,000 ($20,000 each year)

3.      Food Bank of Northern Indiana, $100,000 ($20,000 each year)

4.      Howard Park Improvements, $2,225,000 ($445,000 each year)

5.      Jobs for Americas Graduates-Indiana, $250,000  ($50,000 each year)

6.      Memorial Children’s Hospital, $500,000 ($100,000 each year)

7.      Prairie Avenue Landscaping,  $200,000

8.      Prairie Avenue Resurfacing, $500,000

9.      South Bend Community Schools, $500,000 ($100,000 each year)

10.   YMCA Women’s Shelter of South Bend, $125,000 ($25,000 each year)

“We are so grateful for the generosity and the long term generosity that this donation will bring,” said Marijo Martinec, Food Bank of Northern Indiana executive director.

According to the agreement, the annual payments made to the city will not be less than $1 million if the casino has between 850 and 1,699 games and will not be less than $2 million if the casino has more than 1,700 games.

South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg said the city is thrilled for this first installment.