HOLLYWOOD, Fla. — Max Osceola, Jr., former chairman of the Tribal Council of the Seminole Tribe of Florida, died Thursday evening from complications due to coronavirus, a Tribal spokesperson confirmed Friday.
He was 70 years old.
Osceola Jr. had been undergoing treatment for COVID-19 for several weeks at the Cleveland Clinic in Weston, spokesperson Gary Bitner wrote in a statement.
Osceola, Jr. was an elected Tribal Council representative from the Hollywood Seminole Reservation from 1985 through 2010 and served as the chairman of the Tribal Council.
During his tenure on the Tribal Council, the Seminole Tribe of Florida passed a resolution in support of Florida State University's use of the tribe's name for the school's football team and the team's pregame tradition of Osceola entering the stadium atop a horse named Renegade, according to the Tallahassee Democrat.
He also served on the council as the tribe expanded its gaming operations and oversaw construction the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino and other high-profile tourist attractions, the Orlando Sentinel reported.
"He was perhaps best known for his smile, infectious laugh and constant barrage of quips and one-liners, often referring to 'BC' as the time 'before casinos' at the Seminole Tribe. His wife, Marge, said Max’s Seminole name translates to 'storyteller,' a name he lived up to throughout his life," a statement said.
Chris Osceola, a current Tribal Council Representative for the Hollywood Seminole Reservation and of no relation to Max, called Osceola Jr. "a modern-day warrior and a true legend among his people and many others around the world."
“He will forever be embedded in our hearts and the history of the Seminole Tribe,” said Chris Osceola. “He was my friend and mentor and I will miss him dearly. It has been an honor to call him my friend. My sincere heartfelt condolences to his family and my sincere gratitude for sharing him with us.”
During a press conference in New York in 2006 when the Seminole Tribe announced its purchase of Hard Rock International, Osceola first said a now-well known quote, "Our ancestors sold Manhattan for trinkets. Today, with the acquisition of the Hard Rock Cafes, we’re going to buy it back one hamburger at a time.”
Osceola Jr. is survived by his wife Marge and four children, as well as several brothers and sisters and grandchildren.
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