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THURSDAY, APRIL 3, 2003

The Mississippi Band of Choctaws weren't even considered a tribe until 1945. They lived in the poorest county in the poorest state, says Chief Philip Martin.

But all that began to change when Martin decided to think big, he recounted during a visit to the Rocky Mountain College in Montana last night. "Germans had nothing, but they salvaged every brick and rebuilt," he told The Billings Gazette. "That was an inspiration to me: You can do something with almost nothing."

Martin convinced companies to locate manufacturing plants on the reservation. He said they were attracted by low-cost labor and a favorable tax structure.

The reservation really took off with the advent of gaming, he said. Although somewhat remote, the tribe attracts 2.3 million out of state tourists every year.

The tribe has a payroll of about $350 million and employs nearly 15,000.

Get the Story:
Choctaw leader describes economic miracle (The Billings Gazette 4/3)

Relevant Links:
Mississippi Band of Choctaws - http://www.choctaw.org