Mar. 22, 2010: Mohegan Tribe chief Lynn Malerba

>> ONE OF THE NATION'S BEST
KNOWN AMERICAN INDIAN TRIBES
HAS A NEW PUBLIC FACE FOR
THE FIRST TIME IN ALMOST 300
YEARS A WOMAN WILL BE AT THE
HELM OF THE MOHEGAN TRIBE.
LYNN MALERBA WAS NAMED CHIEF
EARLIER THIS MONTH AND WILL
OFFICIALLY PICK UP THE
LIFELONG APPOINTMENT IN
AUGUST.
MALERBA BECOMES THE SECOND
FEMALE CHIEF OF THE 1800
MEMBER MOHEGANS.
THE TRIBE OWNS THE SECOND
LARGEST CASINO IN THE UNITED
STATES, MOHEGAN SON IN
CONNECTICUT AND IT IS
LOOKING TO EXPAND TO
MASSACHUSETTS WITH A RESORT
STYLE CASINO IN PALMER.
WELCOME TO YOU, LYNN.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> Rooney: AND I UNDERSTAND
WITH THE HONOR COMES A NEW
NAME WHICH IS --

>> YES, IT DOES.
MY NEW NAME IS MUTALI
MUTAHUT WHICH MEANS MANY
HEARTS.

>> Rooney: THAT'S GREAT.
NOW HOW DOES THIS WORK.
IS IT LIKE AN ELECTION, IS
IT POLITICAL, DO YOU, DID
YOU TRY TO GET THE JOB.

>> NO, I WAS ACTUALLY TAKEN
ABACK BY THE FACT THAT THE
ELDERS APPOINTED ME TO BE
THE CHIEF.
IN THE PAST, WE ELECTED THE
CHIEF.
AND WE HAD A CONSTITUTIONAL
CHANGE IN 1996 WHICH WE HAD
NEVER HAD THE OCCASION TO
USE TO APPOINT A CHIEF SINCE
WE HAD OUR DEAR, WELL, OUR
FORMER CHIEF WHO PASSED AWAY
ABOUT TWO AND A HALF YEARS
AGO.
AND SO THIS IS THE FIRST
TIME THAT THIS NEW PROCESS
HAS OCCURRED WHICH IS THE
ELDERS MET.
THEY SOLICITED OPINIONS FROM
THE TRIBAL MEMBERSHIP AND
THEN SAT AND DETERMINED
AMONG THEMSELVES WHO THEY
WOULD APPOINT TO BE THE
CHIEF.

>> Rooney: BUT HOW DID YOUR
NAME GET IN.
I MEAN COME ON, IT HAS TO BE
THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING OF
A POLITICAL PROCESS.
I MEAN YOU DIDN'T JUST UPON
OUT OF NOWHERE.

>> I THINK THEY DISCUSSED
IT.
IT'S A VERY SMALL TRIBE, WE
HAVE 45% OF OUR TRIBAL
MEMBERS ARE UNDER OF AGE OF
18.
SO IT IS A SMALL GROUP-- .

>> Rooney: ARE ANY OF
THEM --

>> NO.

>> Rooney: THEY ARE NOT OLD
ENOUGH.

>> NO AND I ACTUALLY WROTE A
LETTER TO THE ELDERS.
THEY HAD SOLICITED
EVERYONE'S OPINION SO I
CERTAINLY EXERCISED MY RIGHT
AS A TRIBAL MEMBER TO RIGHT
WRITE A LETTER IN.
AND IT WASN'T MYSELF WHO I
RECOMMENDED.
SO IT WAS QUITE A SURPRISE
TO ME THAT MY NAME WAS EVEN
IN THE MIX BECAUSE I AM THE
CHAIRWOMAN OF THE TRIBE.
AND I HAVE BEEN WORKING IN
THAT POSITION NOW FOR ABOUT
SIX MONTHS.
BUT I HAVE BEEN ON TRIBAL
COUNCIL FOR ABOUT FIVE
YEARS.

>> Rooney: I MEAN
TECHNICALLY ARE YOU THE
FIRST WOMAN TO BE THE CHIEF.
THERE WAS A WOMAN WHO WAS
THERE BUT SHE WAS AN INTERIM
300 YEARS AGO.

>> YES.

>> Rooney: SO IT REALLY IS A
TECHNICALITY.

>> RIGHT.

>> Rooney: IS IT-- NOT
SEXIST BUT IS IT JUST SORT
OF TRADITION, I SHOULD SAY,
THAT A MAN WOULD HAVE THE
TITLE CHIEF?

>> I THINK IT HAD BEEN
TRADITION.
IT'S INTERESTING THOUGH THAT
THROUGHOUT INDIAN COUNTRY
THERE ARE FEMALE CHIEFS AN
THERE ARE FEMALE CHAIRS.
SO I THINK OVERALL, WE ARE A
LITTLE BIT MORE ENLIGHTENED
THAN PERHAPS OTHER
GOVERNMENTS HAVE BEEN OVER
TIME.
BUT CERTAINLY IT HAS BEEN
ALL MALE EXCEPT FOR THE ONE
CHIEF.

>> Rooney: WHY IS THIS
NECESSARY NOW?
WHY DO YOU NEED TO HAVE A
TRIBAL COUNCIL WHY DO YOU
NEED TO KEEP THE UNIT
TOGETHER?
WHY DOES IT MATTER ANY MORE?

>> IT MATTERS BECAUSE WE'VE
ALWAYS BEEN A GOVERNMENT.
AND WHEN THE MOHEGAN TRIBE
ACHIEVED FEDERAL RECOGNITION
IN 1994, IT WAS BASED ON
SEVEN VERY STRINGENT
CRITERIA.
AND UP WITH OF THE CRITERIA
IS THAT YOU HAVE ALWAYS BEEN
A GOVERNMENT.
AND SO AS A GOVERNMENT, YOUR
ELECTED LEADERS HAVE
EXERCISED CONTROL OVER THE
MEMBERSHIP THAT THEY
REPRESENT.
AND THAT THE MEMBERSHIP THAT
EXERCISED CONTROL OVER THEIR
LEADERS.
AND SO TO US IT'S EXTREMELY
IMPORTANT BECAUSE REGARDLESS
OF THE FACT THAT WE OWN A
BUSINESS AND OPERATE A VERY
SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS, WE ARE
A GOVERNMENTS WITH A
DISTINCT CULTURE AND
DISTINCT LAND BASE SINCE THE
TIME OF THE 1600s.
AND SO WE THINK THAT THAT
REALLY IS WHAT IS ENDURING.
SO THE CHIEF IS ANOTHER
ENDURING FACE OF THE TRIBE.
AND THEY OFFER STABLE AND
CONTINUITY, BECAUSE YOUR
ELECTED OFFICIALS WILL COME
AND GO BUT THE CHIEF WILL
REMAIN.
AND SO THEY HAVE THAT
HISTORICAL KNOWLEDGE.
THEY HAVE THE CULTURAL
KNOWLEDGE.
AND THEY ARE REALLY, THEY
SET THE TONE FOR THE
MEMBERSHIP, I THINK.

>> Rooney: THAT IS A GOOD
ANSWER.
NOW HOW HAS THE CASINO
BUSINESS WORKED OUT FOR YOU?
AND SERIOUSLY, IS IT
SOMETHING YOU WANT TO BE
ASSOCIATED WITH AN INDIAN
TRIBE.
I MEAN IT SORT OF HAPPENED.
BUT IS IT A GOOD THING.

>> WELL, IT WAS A HAPPY
INCIDENTS, I GUESS.
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT KNEW
THAT THEY WOULD NEVER BE
ABLE TO PROVIDE FOR INDIAN
TRIBES THROUGH THE DIFFERENT
TREATY.

>> Rooney: IT WAS A WAY OF
MAKING AMENDS.

>> IT WAS A WAY OF MAKING
AMENDS.
SO THEY PASSED THE INDIAN
GAMING REGULATORY ACT
BECAUSE THEY KNEW THEY WOULD
NEVER BE ABLE TO PROVIDE FOR
THE HEALTH CARE, THE
EDUCATION AND THE SOCIAL
NEEDS THAT ALL OF THE TRIBES
THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES
HAVE.
AND SO THEY PASSED THE
INDIAN GAMING REGULATORY ACT
AS A WAY OF MAKING AMENDS
BUT ALSO AS A WAY OF GIVING
TRIBES AN ECONOMIC ENGINE SO,
TO SPEAK, TO PROVIDE FOR
THEIR NATION.
SO IF YOU THINK AS CASINO
GAMING AS A GOVERNMENTAL
GAMING, JUST AS THE LOTTERY
IN MASSACHUSETTS IS, TO
PROVIDE FOR THEIR ASSISTANCE
THAT WHAT IT WAS INTENDED TO
DO.
SO WE PROVIDE FOR OUR TRIBAL
MEMBERSHIP.
OUR TRIBAL CITIZENS THE SAME
WAY.
WE'VE USED CASINO REVENUES
TO BUILD OUR ELDERLY
HOUSING.
I SHOULDN'T SAY ELDERLY, I
SHOULD SAY OUR RETIREMENT
COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE ASSISTED LIVING
SERVICES FOR PEOPLE WHO
DON'T LIVE IN OUR RETIREMENT
COMMUNITY.
WE SUPPORT OUR ELDERS IN
COMMUNITY WITH ALL OF THE
SERVICES THAT ARE REQUIRED
TO ALLOW THEM TO LIVE AN
INDEPENDENT LIFE.
WE EDUCATE OUR YOUTH.
AND SO WE PROVIDE COLLEGE
SCHOLARSHIPS FOR THEM.
AND WE ALSO DO MENTORING
PROGRAMS, INTERNSHIPS,
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
PROGRAMS.
AND WE PROVIDE FOR THE
HEALTH CARE OF OUR NATION AS
WELL.

>> Rooney: HOW MUCH CONTROL
DO YOU ACTUALLY HAVE, IF ANY,
OVER THE CASINO BUSINESS?

>> WE HAVE ALL THE CONTROL.
THE TRIBAL COUNCIL-- IS THE
BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

>> Rooney: YOU RUN IT.

>> WE DON'T RUN IT ON THE
DAY-TO-DAY BASIS.
WE HIRE A CHIEF EXECUTIVE
OFFICER JUST LIKE ANY OTHER
BOARD OF DIRECTORS DO.
BUT EVERY CRITICAL DECISION,
EVERY KEY DECISION COMES
BACK TO THE TRIBAL COUNCIL
FOR A YES OR NO VOTE.

>> Rooney: HOW DO YOU FEEL,
I KNOW YOU HAVE PURCHASED
SOME LAND OR HAVE LAND, I
SHOULD SAY IN PALMER.
YOU WOULD LIKE THAT TO IT BE
ONE OF THE DESTINATIONS FOR
A RESORT CASINO.

>> ABSOLUTELY.
I THINK WESTERN
MASSACHUSETTS IS A VERY KEY
AREA FOR THE STATE OF
MASSACHUSETTS.
I THINK THE CITIZENS IN
WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS ARE
SUPPORTIVE.
THEY'VE DONE A REFERENDUM.
WE WOULD NOT WANT TO BE IN A
COMMUNITY THAT WOULD NOT
WANT US THERE.
BUT WE BELIEVE THAT WE ADD
VALUE NOT JUST AS A BUSINESS
BUT ALSO TO THE COMMUNITY
THAT WE RESIDE IN.
IF YOU THINK ABOUT
UNGUSVILLE, WE LIVE THERE,
OUR LAND IS THERE OUR PARNS
LIVE THERE THE OUR CHURN ARE
ON THE STREETS WE UNDERSTAND
WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A GOOD
NEIGHBOR.
AND PART OF THAT COMMUNITY.
I THINK THAT PALM
CERTIFICATE AN ECK EXCELLENT
LOCATION.
WE BRING EXPERTISE AND WE
THINK THAT WE COULD ENHANCE
THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS.
MOHEGAN SUN IN CONNECTICUT
PURCHASES APPROXIMATELY 400
MILLION INED GOOS AN
SERVICES.
WE SUPPORT ANOTHER,000
BUSINESSES IN EVERY SECTOR
IN CONNECTICUT.
SO WHEN WE MAKE A DECISION,
WE KNOW IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT
OUR TRIBAL MEMBERS.
IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT OUR
8,000 EMPLOYEES, IT REALLY
IS ABOUT THE STATE ECONOMY
AS WELL.

>> Rooney: HAS IT LIVED UP
TO ITS PROMISE IN
CONNECTICUT AND WHAT ABOUT
SOME OF THE PROBLEMS
INCUMBENT WITH IT?

>> I THINK IT'S LIVED UP TO
ITS PROMISE.
CERTAINLY THE ECONOMY HAS
HURT EVERYONE.
AND I THINK IN THE PAST
PEOPLE, THE WISDOM WAS THAT
GAMING WAS RECESSION-PROOF.
WE NOW KNOW THAT THAT'S NOT
TRUE.
THIS RECESSION WAS DEEP AND
IT WAS HARD.
BUT WE WERE VERY PROUD OF
THE FACT THAT WE DID NOT
LAYOFF AN EMPLOYEE DURING
THE RECESSION.

>> Rooney: REALLY.

>> WE DID NOT.
WE KEPT OUR PROMISE AND WE
HONOR OUR COMMITMENT TO OUR
EMPLOYEES.

>> Rooney: SO THIS IS A
TITLE FROM LIFE.
THE LAST CHIEF DIED IN '07,
OCTOBER OF 70EE.

>> YEAH.

>> Rooney: WHY TAKE SO LONG?

>> WE WANTED, I'M SURE THAT
THE COUNCIL OF ELDERS
THOUGHT THAT IT WAS
IMPORTANT TO HAVE A VERY
MEANINGFUL PERIOD OF
MOURNING.
AND I THINK WHENEVER YOU
LOSE A CHIEF THAT IS
IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE WHAT
THEY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO OUR
TRIBAL MEMBERSHIP.
AND I THINK THEY WANTED TO
DELIBERATE A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT WHO IT SHOULD BE.

>> Rooney: GOOD LUCK TO YOU
LYNN MALERBA, CHIEF.

>> I LIKE THAT.

>> Rooney: ME TOO.
ALL RIGHT, WHEN WE CONTINUE,
TIS THE SEASON, IT'S TAX
TIME.
UP IN YOUR BUSINESS
CONTRIBUTOR KRIS FRIESWICK
IS NEXT.