The Pokagon Fund Launches to Enhance the Lives of Residents in the New Buffalo Region

NEW BUFFALO, MI--(Marketwire - September 25, 2007) - The Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians and the Four Winds Casino Resort are proud to announce the launch of the Pokagon Fund, a non-profit charitable organization dedicated to enhancing the lives of the residents in the New Buffalo region through the financial support of local governments, non profits, charities and other organizations. The Pokagon Fund is supported by two percent of electronic gaming revenue from the Four Winds Casino Resort. Charitable contributions from the Pokagon Fund may include, without limitation, grants, loans and other types of innovative funding.

The Pokagon Fund is governed by a seven member board of directors serving staggered three-year terms. The board is made up of representatives from the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians, the Township of New Buffalo and the City of New Buffalo, and three at-large members. The Pokagon Fund Board of Directors will collectively make decisions on how funds are allocated. The executive director of the Pokagon Fund is Mary Dunbar, who will oversee the day-to-day management of the fund.

"The Pokagon Fund was established to go above and beyond what was agreed upon with the state of Michigan," said John Miller, president of the Pokagon Fund Board of Directors and chairman of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians. "Donations from the Pokagon Fund will support programs and projects in the areas of health and human services, arts and culture, education, recreation and the environment. Examples of potential programs that are eligible to receive funding include student scholarships, compulsive treatment programs including but not limited to gambling addiction, land preservation and acquisition, and local economic development projects."

"The Four Winds Casino Resort is proud to be part of the New Buffalo community," said Matt Harkness, general manager, Four Winds Casino Resort. "We are excited to see how the Pokagon Fund will enhance the lives of those in the New Buffalo region."

For more information, grant guidelines, submission deadlines and application forms please visit the Pokagon Fund Web site at www.pokagonfund.org. The Pokagon Fund will also be hosting grant writing seminars to assist applicants with the grant writing process. Call (269)469-9322 or email info@pokagonfund.org for details.

Additional Revenue Sharing

In addition to its contributions to the Pokagon Fund, the Four Winds Casino Resort is giving eight percent of its electronic gaming revenue to the State of Michigan for economic development. The Four Winds Casino Resort is also giving two percent of its electronic gaming revenue to the local community through the Local Revenue Sharing Board to offset any impact to the local infrastructure. The state of Michigan and the Local Revenue Sharing Board are not affiliated with the Pokagon Fund.

About The Pokagon Fund

The Pokagon Fund is a non-profit charitable organization whose mission is to enhance the lives of the residents in the New Buffalo region through the financial support of local governments, non profits, charities and other organizations. The Pokagon Fund is supported by two percent of electronic gaming revenue from the Four Winds Casino Resort. More information is available at www.pokagonfund.org.

About The Four Winds Casino Resort

The Four Winds Casino Resort is owned by the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians and is located at 11111 Wilson Road in New Buffalo, Mich. Managed by Lakes Entertainment, Inc., the resort offers 130,000 square feet of gaming with 3,000 slot machines and 100 table games including poker. It also features six restaurants, entertainment bars and retail venues, and a 165-room hotel, making it a premier destination resort for Midwest tourism. More information can be found at www.fourwindscasino.com.

Contact Information: Media Contacts: Joshua Taustein Dresner Corporate Services 312-780-7219 jtaustein@dresnerco.com David Gutierrez Dresner Corporate Services 312-780-7204 dgutierrez@dresnerco.com