Goldbelt’s vision: A future that works for all of Juneau

Concept drawing of proposed welcome center at Goldbelt’s private cruise terminal. (Image provided by Turnagain Construction)

By McHugh Pierre 

Juneau is at an inflection point. Rising costs, aging infrastructure and shrinking resources are forcing tough decisions about whether our community will remain sustainable for the next generation. Goldbelt will lead a path to prosperity. 

Goldbelt was created through the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA), legislation that resolved Indigenous land claims by creating corporations, instead of reservations, and returning select lands to Alaska Native people through regional and village corporations. As Juneau’s Alaska Native corporation, we selected parcels from our ancestral homelands that were important to our people and that we are responsible for stewarding these ancestral lands today. 

Under ANCSA, these lands are not taxed until they are developed. That structure was designed to support long-term economic opportunity for Alaska Native people and to keep Native land in Native hands. 

As Juneau’s Alaska Native corporation (ANC), owned by Tlingits of the Áak’w Kwáan and T’áaku Kwáan, Goldbelt’s responsibility is to the Indigenous people who make up our shareholder base. Our shareholders will always be our top priority. Unlike a publicly traded company, our responsibility does not end with dividends. It includes building systems and infrastructure that support our shareholders and the broader community. 

As an example, when Goldbelt invested $10 million in a revenue-sharing agreement with the City and Borough of Juneau on the Eaglecrest gondola project, it did so because it was a strong investment for our shareholders. It also reflects an investment in our community. We believe that a prosperous Juneau depends on a sustainable, year-round outdoor recreation facility at Eaglecrest. 

The Goldbelt Aaní port project on the backside of Douglas is another example of investment that serves our stakeholders while supporting the community. The port reflects decades of planning by Goldbelt and its shareholders for development of our ANCSA lands. Not only will it create local jobs and produce profits that remain here in Juneau, the project will enhance borough infrastructure with upgraded utilities and a new wastewater treatment facility on Douglas Island. 

Once developed, the port is expected to become one of Juneau’s largest taxpayers. That revenue supports schools, infrastructure and the services residents rely on every day. Sustainable, thoughtful development supports jobs, strengthens the economy and contributes to a stable tax base. 

Goldbelt is a forever company supporting people who have been here since time immemorial. We are here to stay and to contribute to Juneau’s long-term economic stability because this is where our people live. We operate businesses around the world, but our headquarters and our home are in Juneau. We invest our profits in Juneau’s future. As an Alaska Native corporation, those investments stay with our people and our lands, adding long-term value for locals instead of flowing to outside investors. 

Goldbelt wants to help build a future where families choose to stay in Juneau, where people have confidence in the economy, where children are raised, and people invest in their future now and forever. 

• McHugh Pierre is president and CEO of Goldbelt, Inc., Juneau’s Alaska Native corporation, owned by Tlingit shareholders of the Áak’w Kwáan and T’áaku Kwáan.