Cherokee Nation touts annual economic impact of $3.1 billion

The Tahlequah, Okla.-based Cherokee Nation — which includes part of the Fort Smith metro — announced Wednesday (April 2) it contributes $3.1 billion annually to the Oklahoma economy.

An economic impact report produced by a third-party entity the Economic Impact Group shows the Cherokee Nation remains one of the state’s biggest economic drivers.

“Cherokee Nation’s economic impact is about more than dollars and data. It’s a reflection of our deep commitment to the prosperity of the Cherokee people and the communities we call home,” Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr., said in a statement. “In addition to illustrating where our dollars go across the reservation and how those investments ripple through our communities, this report reminds us just how far each dollar reaches — creating opportunities, strengthening communities, and building a better future for all.”

As the largest sovereign tribal government in the U.S., Cherokee Nation services include health care, career services, human services, education and housing. The tribe is also one of the largest producers, employers, income providers, and purchasers of regional production in northeast Oklahoma, according to the Economic Impact Group.

The tribe in February announced it will donate $8 million to Mercy-Fort Smith to support a cancer center the hospital system plans to build in the city.

The research study shows Cherokee Nation directly and indirectly supports more than 23,000 jobs and $1.2 billion in wages and benefits annually. The tribal government and its businesses purchase more than $536 million in goods and services from local vendors and small businesses in northeast Oklahoma.

During 2023, the fiscal year studied by the economists, the tribal government provided $17.5 million in scholarships to students pursuing higher education, ensured more than 1,300 Native Americans received vocational training and educational assistance, and provided $7.8 million in contributions of car tag revenues to public schools across northeast Oklahoma.

In the same year, Cherokee Nation also invested $7.4 million to build or expand its child development centers, provided food vouchers to more than 10,000 children during the summer months, and distributed clothing vouchers to over 74,000 school-aged children.

Cherokee Nation Businesses has contributed $1.2 billion to the tribe over the last decade, paid as a cash dividend in support of vital tribal services and programs. Gaming at Cherokee Nation casinos resulted in the tribe paying the state more than $500 million in compact fees since 2005.

The Cherokee Nation has more than 470,000 citizens, 14,500 employees, and several tribal enterprises ranging from aerospace and defense contracts to entertainment venues. Cherokee Nation is one of the largest employers in northeastern Oklahoma and is the largest tribal nation in the United States.