Cherokee Nation Enterprises (CNE)

CNE includes (3) Casinos and (7) Retail outlets and employs 717 individuals with an annual payroll of $14 million. More than 67% of all CNE employees are Native Americans. CNE employees reside in 14 counties of Northeastern Oklahoma and 4 counties in Arkansas. Those counties benefit from CNE’s annual payroll in excess of $14 million. For FY 2000, CNE Operating Revenues were $47.7 million. In 2001, CNE revenues were up approximately 35% over FY 2000 setting a new 12-year record revenue high for CNE.

CNE pays more than $1.5 million dollars in federal and state payroll tax withholding and employer matching funds. Federal and state payroll tax withholdings and employer matching funds exceed $3.5 million annually.

CNE profits are paid to the Cherokee Nation in the form of operating transfers (dividends). CNE paid more than 4.1 million dollars in dividends and tax collections to the Cherokee Nation after operating expenses in 2000.

Main sources of CNE revenues are the gaming operations and sale of tobacco products. CNE also contributes to the Nation through tobacco taxes collected from smoke shop sales and for a 3% Tribal Tax collected on sales on all non-tobacco items at CNE retail enterprises. CNE contributes 20% of Tribally general Funds - Motor Fuels Taxes, Tobacco Taxes, Property Lease Income and Interest Income.

CNE contributed funding for the new Cherokee Nation Emergency Medical Services Center in Tahlequah that provides training facilities for medical professionals from all over northeastern Oklahoma. Cherokee Nation EMS units are housed in the centering providing ambulances and paramedics on behalf of Cherokee people. Funds generated by CNE also go toward Education, Roads, Community Development, etc.

Cherokee Nation Industries (CNI)

CNI employs 230 people in the State of Oklahoma and has annual expenditures of $42 million.

Housing Authority of the Cherokee Nation (HACN)

The HACN receives funding in the form of a block grant from the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development. Cherokee Nation’s annual funding is approximately $27 million.

The agency currently employs 391 people with an annual payroll of $10 million. In 2001, the Housing Authority paid out $25 million to vendors and suppliers.

The HACN has been in existence since 1966. In 2001, the HACN decentralized and opened seven (7) full service area offices. Each office serves a specific geographic region of the Cherokee Nation, providing housing services to our tribal members in their local area. Many current and future employees benefited from the decentralization as well by not having to drive to Tahlequah to work. Area offices located in Cherokee, Adair, Sequoyah, Delaware, Mayes, Rogers, and Tulsa Counties currently employ an average of 30 people and we anticipate adding more employees in the future.

The Housing Authority provides housing assistance to approximately 4500 low income Cherokee families through the following programs: Homeownership, Rental Assistance, and Low Rent apartments. In mid-March, the Housing Authority will advertise the construction of 200 additional homes.

At the present time, the Housing Authority has been awarded Low Income Housing Tax Credits for construction of 2 forty unit elderly housing projects. We anticipate applying for additional tax credits over the next few years.

The Tribe is in the process of obtaining a $50 million loan guarantee from HUD and plans to construct over 500 homes with these funds.

Cherokee National Historical Society, Inc. (CNHS)

CNHS is a 501 (c)(3) Oklahoma corporation. It operates the Cherokee Heritage Center on 44 acres south of Tahlequah. Most of this land is leased from the State of Oklahoma and the Center receives an annual appropriation from the Legislature to maintain the grounds. For many years after its inception in 1963, the Heritage Center was the most visited tourist attraction in Oklahoma. It is made up of a 1600s populated Cherokee town, a late 19th century village and farm, a museum containing the Cherokee National Archives and genealogy research center, a chapel and the amphitheater. In addition to educational courses, classes, camps and workshops, CNHS operates Cherokee Heritage Pottery, a ceramics manufacturing facility and Cherokee Heritage Arts, a training and marketing initiative for traditional Cherokee artisans. Also operated by CNHS is Cherokee Heritage Tours which develops customized tours for groups of the Cherokee Nation and especially the Tahlequah area including "over nights" in the Ancient Village. In 2001, the Heritage Center opened a new Trail of Tears exhibit and presented a new Trail of Tears drama. Because of this and a very aggressive marketing effort, the Heritage Center expects 100,000 visitors in 2002. The CNHS employs a permanent staff of 40 with 110 seasonal employees. The operating budget for 2002 is $2.3 million. The majority of this money comes from sources outside of Oklahoma.