Corporate philanthropy is by no means unusual. The U.S. corporate sector donated more than $20 billion to charity in 2017 according to a 2018 report by Giving USA, an 8% increase over the previous year. Still, there are certain companies that go above and beyond when it comes to giving. Milwaukee’s finest corporate citizen is Potawatomi Hotel and Casino.
The company’s Native American roots inform its philosophy on giving back to the community. “Part of the culture is to ensure that the environment, the membership and the land is being treated fairly,” said Rodney Ferguson, CEO and general manager of Potawatomi Hotel and Casino. “That principle has come over to the casino operation since its beginning.” This manifests in more than a million dollars per year being donated to organizations that make a difference in the lives of Milwaukeeans, as well as sponsoring multiple cultural events and programs throughout the city.
The Heart of Canal Street
Potawatomi’s signature philanthropic endeavor is its Heart of Canal Street program. The program, which began in 1994 as a two-week fundraiser in the casino’s bingo hall, has gifted $19 million to local children-focused charities over the years. “It’s the one time of the year that we can give back to kids in the community,” said Ryan Amundson, public relations manager at Potawatomi Hotel and Casino.
Thirty-one charities are selected each year. One, Potawatomi’s “Charity of Choice,” receives $100,000. Ten charities are chosen by Potawatomi’s media partners and 20 are picked randomly from a pool of around 160 qualifying applicants. Those organizations each receive an even split of the remaining money raised, which totaled $1.16 million last year.
Potawatomi’s first Charity of Choice was the Milwaukee Area Workforce Investment Board, now known as Employ Milwaukee. Last year, Potawatomi chose Pathfinders, a local nonprofit that works with youth in crisis. Potawatomi’s donation went towards a program addressing human trafficking. “We are extremely grateful that Potawatomi Hotel & Casino is using its Heart of Canal Street platform to address some of the most pressing needs of youth in our community,” said Tim Baack, president and CEO of Pathfinders. “In addition to raising awareness about the sexual exploitation and trafficking of Milwaukee’s most vulnerable young people, a critical issue impacting our city, their financial support will allow Pathfinders to provide more resources to better serve them.”
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Potawatomi is now in the process of selecting its 2019 Charity of Choice. They will announce the charity in either June or July. They’ve remained mum on which organization they are leaning towards, but said they are always looking at tackling topics such as poverty and gun violence.
“It’s my favorite thing to work on all year,” Amundson said of Heart of Canal Street. “It just feels good giving back to the community and kids in our community. It goes back to what our tribe believes in. Giving kids a good start in life is really important to them too.”
The organization is also benefitting adults in the community with support for the city’s newest transit system, The Hop.
Making The Hop Accessible
In early October 2017, Mayor Tom Barrett announced that the Forest County Potawatomi Community had agreed to a 12-year, $10 million sponsorship of the city’s streetcar system; a naming rights deal that dubbed the system The Hop, Presented by Potawatomi Hotel & Casino.
The deal was the end product of multiple meetings between Ferguson and former Department of Public Works commissioner Ghassan Korban. Ferguson cites his time living in multiple cities with successful streetcars as the impetus for sponsoring Milwaukee’s burgeoning system. “In order for us to compete for things like the DNC 2020 or NBA All-Star games, we had to have something like that,” Ferguson said. “At the same time, we knew that if we [sponsored the streetcar], it could help market our facility and give us more exposure for what we do. So, we came to a mutual agreement that is what it is today.”
Ferguson said that he wanted to do “something special,” outside of just a traditional sponsorship deal, so he agreed to have Potawatomi fund rides for the first year in order to get people used to riding. The free rides have been an important factor in boosting initial ridership for the system, and Ferguson has been pleased with the results so far. “I live Downtown,” he said. “I see people at the various stops, and see the streetcar packed, especially on weekends. It opened up in the beginning of November, in the middle of winter. Wait until spring. You will certainly see an increase then.”
In January, the Journal Sentinel reported that the city had approached the Milwaukee Bucks regarding the team paying for an extension to Fiserv Forum. Alderman Bob Bauman was quoted as saying the team “politely declined.” When asked if Potawatomi would accept a similar proposal to fund a route to the casino, Ferguson said, “It’s definitely something that we would consider.”
“It makes a lot of sense if it were to come by here,” Ferguson said. “We have approximately 6 million guests visiting us every year. The Milwaukee Brewers have over 2 million. The Harley-Davidson Museum has close to 1 million people. So why not have it come up and down Canal Street and go Downtown?”
Championing Native American Culture
Potawatomi follows five key social responsibility principles in its business practices. One of these principles is sharing their cultural heritage. “It’s very important for us to educate folks about Native Americans and the contributions that that group of people has made for generations,” Amundson said. The company’s initiatives around cultural education include working with the Milwaukee Film Festival to select a Native American-produced film or film about Native American issues to be screened every year at the festival.
Potawatomi also works with the Milwaukee Art Museum to bring a Native American theme to their MAM After Dark series each November, which is Native American History Month. Last year, they brought in Supaman, a Native American rapper from Montana, to perform at both MAM After Dark and live on the air at 88Nine Radio Milwaukee.
A commitment to Native American culture is also evident in the casino’s hiring practices. Around 11% of the casino’s workforce is Native American, and 65% are people of color, according to Ferguson.
Respecting the Environment
When Potawatomi designed its first hotel tower in August of 2014, the environment was top of mind. The tower underwent a number of tests to determine if its design and specifications qualified for a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification, one of the highest honors a building can receive for sustainability. The tower achieved that certification, becoming the first casino hotel in Wisconsin to do so. The casino’s second hotel tower plans on using the same standards.
“That was one of the main emphases that we placed when building the facility; to hold true to the tribe’s mission, vision and values,” Ferguson said. “We wanted to make sure that this building is built in that fashion.”
Whether it’s through large donations to local charities or sponsoring events to promote Native American culture, Potawatomi embraces its place as a leading philanthropic entity in the city. As Milwaukee’s profile grows on the national stage, Potawatomi wants to be a part of the city’s ascent. “What’s good for the community is good for us,” Amundson said. “From my standpoint, if this city is moving forward, that’s good for us. If we can be a part of it, that’s even better.”
