FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

 

CONTACT: David Workman          

(208) 334-2600

                                

Idaho Lottery Begins Operations in Orofino Today

 

Boise – The Idaho Lottery has officially resumed operations for the first time in fourteen years today in Orofino. By the end of the week, the Lottery anticipates thirteen total retailers in the communities of Kamiah, Kooskia, Lapwai, Winchester, and Nez Perce will also be up and running.

 

“Today, the Idaho Lottery is now able to offer its entertainment to all the citizens of Idaho,” said Jeff Anderson, Idaho Lottery Director.

 

On July 16, 2008, the Nez Perce tribe and the State of Idaho took the first step toward starting Lottery operations by signing a Class III Gaming Compact. This compact was reviewed by the United States Department of the Interior and the National Indian Gaming Commission before Lottery operations began.

 

Many community leaders attended a brief Lottery training session in Orofino.  Dignitaries included Idaho Lottery Commissioner Scott McLeod, Orofino Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Phil Shriver, Orofino City Council Member Roy Clay, and the Vice-chair of NPTEC Julia Davis-Wheeler.

 

Tickets went on sale in time for Wednesday night’s $50 million Powerball draw and the $11.7 million Hot Lotto Sizzler draw.  Also on sale are $10 Idaho $1,000,000 Raffle tickets along with the Lottery’s popular holiday line-up of instant scratch tickets that includes the $1 Freezing Your Bucks Off, the $2 Santa Games Doubler, the $3 Santa’s List Cashword, the $5 Peppermint Twist Big Bingo, and the first ever greeting card style lotto game, the $15 25 Days of Winning.

 

“Dollars spent on the Lottery return to their local communities in the form of player prizes, annual dividends to schools and state facilities, and retailer commissions,” added Anderson.

 

Since 1989, school districts in the area have received more than $2.6 million in dividends including over $180,000 this past year. The Clearwater school districts used their funds for addressing safety issues, new carpeting, heating unit repair, a drainage system and fixing a roof. The Lewis County Districts provided two new buses, repaired the gym floor at Orofino High, repaired a walk-in freezer and installed new doors, while the Nez Perce County districts (excluding Lewiston) installed handicap doors and provided fresh air systems and air quality testing.

 

Since 1999, the Idaho State Hospital North and the Idaho State Correctional Facility in Orofino have received over $1.6 million in dividend funds to replace roofs, repair water and sewer lines, install emergency generators, replace the fire alarm system, and upgrade several HVAC systems.

 

 

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ABOUT THE IDAHO LOTTERY

The Idaho Lottery responsibly provides a variety of entertaining games featuring Powerball, Scratch™ tickets, and Pull-Tab games with a high degree of integrity to maximize the dividend for Idaho public schools and buildings. Since it’s inception in 1989, the Idaho Lottery has sold more than $1.7 billion in sales, awarded over $1 billion in prizes to players, returned $100 million in retail commissions, and distributed more than $402 million in Lottery dividends to state public schools and buildings. To learn more, please visit www.idaholottery.com.