Historic Preservation & Legalized Gaming
In the last fiscal year, casino’s contributed over $15,929,000 in gaming tax revenue for historic preservation, tourism promotion, Lawrence County and its municipalities and schools, the State of South Dakota’s general fund and other governmental entities. An annual report detailing the breakdown of these distributions is available HERE.
The funds collected from taxes on gaming allowed for the formation of Deadwood Historic Preservation’s programs that include grants, loans and dedicated funds for large-scale restoration projects. Tax revenue is used to help fund non-profit historic attractions and educational opportunities, promote historical and cultural tourism and preserve historic buildings (both commercial and residential).
These funds don’t benefit only the town of Deadwood. Since 2002 the Deadwood Historic Preservation Commission has helped promote the preservation and interpretation of historic sites, buildings, and properties throughout the state of SD with the Outside-of-Deadwood Grant program. The program, which now awards up to $50,000 each year, stimulates quality restoration, protection, and interpretation of buildings, sites, and properties that contribute to an understanding of Deadwood’s unique history. This total exceeds $3.5 million dollars to date. Additionally, taxes on Deadwood gaming provides funding for the South Dakota State Historical Society.
“Deadwood – You Bet” was a movement created by concerned community members in the mid-1980s in an effort to save Deadwood’s history. Preservation is not inexpensive. They needed a dedicated funding source. Committee members put in 20,000 volunteer hours over five years to gather support and signatures. Deadwood’s joint gaming and historic preservation venture was on the 1988 ballot and passed with 65% of the state’s population in favor of the required constitutional amendment. Its passage and implementation in 1989 made Deadwood the third legal gaming destination in the United States (after Nevada and Atlantic City). Deadwood’s celebrated its 30th anniversary of gaming at high noon on November 1, 2019.
