Why We Care:

California’s tribal gaming industry is relatively new, wildly successful and growing at a staggering pace. Tribal casinos in the Coachella Valley have created thousands of jobs for local residents and unparalleled economic opportunity for many area tribes. We applaud the phenomenal success of the tribal gaming locally while at the same time have concern about the current and growing impacts of these operations. We strongly believe state and local government needs a real voice as this industry expands in order to preserve the health of this rapidly expanding industry.

Tribal casinos do not transfer funds to state and local government agencies like other businesses and local governments have no legal way to compel these enterprises to pay for the public infrastructure, goods and services that they may utilize. Tribal governments in other parts of the state have entered into voluntary multi-million dollar comprehensive agreements with local governments to pay for the public infrastructure, goods and services they require to be successful.

California is now the largest tribal gaming market in the country, and is second only to Nevada. Industry experts expect California’s tribal gaming industry to surpass Nevada’s commercial casinos within five to 10 years.

Here in the Palm Springs area, there are six tribal casinos. They are among the most successful and sizable in California. The population density of Southern California and easy accessibility via Interstate 10 make the Palm Springs area one of the strongest gaming markets in the state.

CVCRS has released a comprehensive report, Tribal Casinos and Their Impacts on a California Community: A Focus on the Palm Springs Area in the Coachella Valley and the Casino Operations of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians. The report takes an unprecedented look at the local impacts of tribal casinos in the Palm Springs area. The report comes at a pivotal time as the state begins negotiations with California gaming tribes on future gaming expansion and the impacts on neighboring communities. The state has ONE opportunity to reopen the 20-year gaming compacts to deal with environmental and public impacts of tribal casinos on local communities and that opportunity is NOW.