Details of Levi Rickert
July 24, 2021
LAS VEGAS – Actor Mark Wahlberg and his brother, Chef Paul Wahlberg, were the focus of the National Indian Gaming Association’s Indian Gaming Tradeshow and Convention in Las Vegas on Wednesday, July 21, to mark a newly formed partnership between their company Wahlburgers Franchising and Little River to announce Holdings, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians based in Manistee, Michigan.
The announcement was made in the fair’s chairman’s lounge, where hundreds of people gathered to take a look at the famous Wahlberg brothers.
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The agreement enables Little River Holdings to develop Wahlburgers restaurants in Indian casinos and resorts or in locations outside of the gambling business. The goal is to develop 125 Wahlburgers restaurants across Indian Country over the next few years.
The Wahlberg brothers were introduced on stage by National Indian Gaming Association Chairman Ernest Stevens, Jr. along with Little River Holdings officials Frank Lewis, the Chairman. Eugene Magnuson, General Manager; and Ron Spoerl, board member.
Wahlburger’s restaurants were started by Mark, Paul, and Donnie Wahlberg with recipes inspired by meals the family grew accustomed to when they were modestly raised in a family of nine siblings in Boston.
Mark Wahlberg, who was nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in 2006 for his role as a cop in The Departed, has appeared in over 50 films. His fame made him a hit on the Indian Gaming Tradeshow.
“We are honored to partner with Little River Holdings. We look forward to sharing our family experiences with you. We look forward to creating fun family experiences with you and your families, and I love how family-oriented Indian Country is, ”said Mark Wahlberg.
“We started this business with my brother Paul and Donnie, who is not here today, and our mother, who recently passed away. We want to keep honoring them. For her, it was always about getting along and supporting one another. We are honored to share our family experience with your family, “continued Mark Wahlberg.
Chef Paul Wahlberg, who has cooked since childhood, says he loves the idea of having Wahlburger’s restaurants in Indian Country.
“We’re excited to bring our restaurants to Indian Country so that we can expand the market for ourselves, but also offer opportunities to people in other areas,” Executive Chef Paul Wahlberg told Native News Online. “It enables us to take our marketing programs to Indian Country and participate in the great Indian Country programs.”
The first Wahlburgers restaurant at an Indian gaming venue opened at Morongo Casino, Resort & Spa in Cabazon, California on Friday.
“If I leave here, I’ll go to Morongo, where we will be opening an Wahlburgers restaurant on Friday.
The new restaurant in Morongo put the finishing touches to the construction when the agreement with Little River Holdings was announced on Wednesday. Hence, it is not one of the businesses that Little River Holdings will franchise with Wahlburgers.
On stage, Chairman Stevens presented the Wahlberg brothers and Little River Holdings Chairman Frank Lewis with the Chairman’s Award for their commitment to establishing business with Indian gambling casinos.
Food, family and fun are our pillars. Indian casinos offer food and fun. Indian Country has a strong family tradition so we thought this was a strong combination of what we stand for and what you stand for in Native News online. Fuller said he wants to see 100 or 125 restaurants in Indian Country in the next few years.
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About the author
Author: Levi Rickert
Levi Rickert (Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation) is the founder, editor, and publisher of Native News Online. He can be reached at [email protected]
