Author: Alex J.

The Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana celebrated the grand opening of a new location for Sylvan Learning Center at its Cultural and Educational Resources Center on Thursday. The satellite center will offer tutoring to children across the Marksville area.

The Tribe would like to thank the Marksville Chamber of Commerce for coming out to mark the event. The opening garnered the attention of Avoyelles Today, KLAB-TV evening and morning news, KLAX.com, the Shreveport Times and The Town Talk.

The new center will offer tutoring services for students from kindergarten through high school, as well as College Prep and Edge & STEM courses. The Sylvan Learning Center is open to tribal families and students from the Marksville area. The center is located at 150 Melacon Road in Marksville. For additional information and to learn more about Sylvan Learning of Marksville visit them on the web at https://locations.sylvanlearning.com/us/alexandria-la/satellite/80789 or contact Thomas Harmeyer at (318) 443-0949 or sylvanmarksville@gmail.com.

Sylvan Learning and the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana are pleased to announce the grand opening of a new location for Sylvan tutoring in Marksville. The new Sylvan Learning Center of Marksville is located in the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana’s Cultural and Educational Resources Center. The grand opening celebration will take place Thursday March 30, starting at 2 p.m. and will feature a ribbon cutting with the Marksville Chamber of Commerce, tours of the tutoring area, refreshment and games, as well as demonstrations for children, students and prospective parents. Official remarks from Sylvan and Tunica-Biloxi officials will commence at 3:30 p.m. The Center will remain open to the public for tours, instruction observation and robotics and Algebra Edge demonstrations until 6 p.m.

The new center will offer tutoring services for students from kindergarten through high school, as well as College Prep and Edge & STEM courses. The Sylvan Learning Center is open to tribal families and students from the Marksville area.

The new location is located at 150 Melacon Road in Marksville. For additional information and to learn more about Sylvan Learning of Marksville visit them on the web at https://locations.sylvanlearning.com/us/alexandria-la/satellite/80789 or contact Thomas Harmeyer at (318) 443-0949 or sylvanmarksville@gmail.com.

See a full list of upcoming events here.

The Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana has announced the appointment of Michael A. Hamilton as general manager of the Paragon Casino Resort. Hamilton will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the facility.

Hamilton brings Paragon over 20 years of experience in the gaming and hospitality industry with his most recent role as vice president of resort operations at Mohegan Sun in Connecticut, one of the most profitable gaming and entertainment destinations in the United States owned and operated under Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority (MTGA) management.

At Mohegan Sun, he was directly responsible for retail development through tenant acquisition and construction development including Mohegan Sun’s current $130-million, 400-room Earth Tower hotel project slated to open this fall and the $13.8-million renovation to Sky Tower, Mohegan Sun’s existing 1,200-room hotel currently underway. His duties included operation of the transportation, engineering and security departments. Hamilton served his local community as an active member on education boards and chambers of commerce, as well as the American Heart Association and the United Way.

“We are proud to have Mr. Hamilton join and lead the team at Paragon Casino Resort,” said Tunica-Biloxi Tribal Chairman Joey P. Barbry. “Michael’s experience working in all facets of gaming and resort operations at one of the world’s most thriving entertainment destinations, as well as his top-to-bottom knowledge and understanding of the business, will benefit Paragon customers and employees.”

Chairman Barbry said Chris J. Barbry Sr., formerly acting general manager, has been named vice president of facilities of Paragon Casino Resort. “We appreciate the hard work Chris has done over the years. His experience is valuable, and we look forward to seeing what he will do as vice president of facilities.”

About the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe

The Tunica-Biloxi people first appeared in the Mississippi Valley. In the late 1700s, they settled near Marksville where they were skilled traders and entrepreneurs. Today, the Tribe has more than 1,200 members throughout the United States, primarily in Louisiana, Texas and Illinois.

The Tunica-Biloxi Tribe received federal recognition in 1981 for its reservation within the boundaries of Louisiana. The tribe owns and operates the Paragon Casino Resort, the largest employer in central Louisiana. Through its compact, negotiated by the late Tribal Chairman Earl J. Barbry Sr. and the State of Louisiana, the Tribe has assisted local governments in the area with its quarterly distribution of funds, totaling more than $40 million over two decades. For more information about the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana, visit www.tunica.org and follow us on Facebook.

About Paragon Casino Resort

Since opening its doors in 1994, Paragon has strived to provide the most entertaining gaming destination in the south. Over the past 20 years, Paragon’s amenities and services have been expanded to create the ultimate gaming experience. The best is yet to come.

Paragon features an impressive lineup of luxury amenities and attractions, including a 531-room hotel; full-service spa and salon; 18-hole golf course with a fully stocked pro-shop and grillroom; indoor tropical pool with a swim-up bar; a soaring retail atrium with “living” bayou and live alligators; three-screen cinema; Atrium Bar with an ice bar; seven restaurants; daiquiri bar; full-service RV resort with 205 slips and 30 cabins; Kids Quest child care activity center; Cyber Quest arcade; over 75,000 square feet of meeting space; and three retail shops.

With more than 1,600 Las Vegas-style slot machines and over 64,000 square feet of gaming action, Paragon also features over 44 table games, including Craps, Blackjack, Roulette and an eight-table poker room. Paragon also has a free player’s club membership program.

Paragon Casino Resort is owned and operated by the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana. For more information, please visit www.paragoncasinoresort.com and follow Paragon Casino Resort on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and YouTube.

About Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority

Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority is an instrumentality of the Mohegan Tribe of Indians of Connecticut and operates two of the most successful gaming and entertainment destinations in the United States, Mohegan Sun in Connecticut and Mohegan Sun Pocono in Pennsylvania. Additionally, MTGA was recently awarded a license from the Korean Government to develop and build a first-of-its-kind integrated resort at Incheon International Airport in South Korea.

MTGA is credited with advancing the once struggling Resorts Casino Hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey, into record profitability over the four years that is has served under its management and investment contract. MTGA’s venture with the Cowlitz Indian Tribe of Washington State will introduce the $500-million-dollar casino project that will be the West Coast’s premier gaming, dining, entertainment and meeting destination slated to open in 2017. MTGA announced a partnership with the Tunica-Biloxi Gaming Authority, the owner and operator of the Paragon Casino Resort in Marksville, Louisiana for a consulting agreement which started in the spring of 2016. More information about MTGA and its properties can be obtained by visiting www.mohegansun.com, www.mohegansunpocono.com, www.resortsac.com, www.ilaniresort.com or www.mtga.com.

The Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana’s Language and Culture Revitalization Program (LCRP) announced “Tunica-Biloxi Family Day,” Tunica language classes and a “Story Time” event will be held this fall.  LCRP programs are intended to enrich the Tunica culture by educating its youth and providing opportunities for the Tunica-Biloxi community to come together. The LCRP fall programs and events will be free of charge and available to all Tunica-Biloxi family members.

Tunica-Biloxi Family Day will be held on Saturday, Aug. 6, 2016, from 10 a.m. – noon in the Cultural and Educational Resource Center (CERC) located on the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana reservation (150 Melacon Road, Marksville, Louisiana 71351). The event will include brief lessons on the Tunica language and an exclusive preview of Tunica-Biloxi workshops and craft classes. The event will also provide Tunica-Biloxi community members the opportunity to present ideas for future activities and events to the Tunica-Biloxi LCRP for consideration. Refreshments and lunch will be served; space is limited. To RSVP for “Tunica-Biloxi Family Day,” contact Ryan Lopez of the Tunica-Biloxi LCRP at (318) 240-6433 or rlopez@tunica.org.

The Tunica-Biloxi LCRP will host its fall series of Tunica language classesbeginning Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016, for tribal children ages five – 10 years old and Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016, for ages 11 – 16 years old. The eight-week session takes place from 4 – 5 p.m. every Tuesday and Wednesday through Sept. 28, 2016 at the CERC building. During language classes, participants will learn the basics of the Tunica language, including conversational phrases and common vocabulary to more advanced syntax in cultural contexts.

The LCRP will conclude its fall programming with “Story Time” Saturday, Sept. 3, 2016, from 11 a.m. – noon in the CERC Library. “Story Time” is open to the public for children ages seven and under; children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. “Story Time” offers engaging activities highlighting the Tunica-Biloxi culture, including bilingual songs, popular children’s books, finger-play and free-play with puppets and props, rhymes, dances, games, crafts and more. “Story Time” is hosted by Donna Pierite and Elisabeth Mora, language and cultural lifeways instructors for the LCRP.

 For more information about the Tunica-Biloxi’s Language & Culture Revitalization Program or how to participate in events and programs, contact Director of Development & Programming John Barbry at (318) 240-6412 or email jdbarbry@tunica.org.

Dear Tunica-Biloxi Families:

Registration is now open for the Tunica-Biloxi Language & Culture Camp to be held June 13 -17, 2016, at the CERC Building. The camp is free for all children, ages 5 – 17, from Tunica-Biloxi family households. Camp is scheduled from 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Monday – Friday. The LCRP will coordinate drop-off and pick-up times with parents if necessary.

Please complete the Camp Registration Form for each of your children and return it by scanned document to Ryan Lopez at rlopez@tunica.org or fax to (318) 253-7711. Registration forms must be received by Friday, May 27, so we can make appropriate preparations. We look forward to seeing you this summer.

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