California tribes expand to compete with Vegas

Monday, January 31, 2005  

More than half a dozen tribes in southern California have expanded or are in the process of expanding the casinos in an attempt to compete with Las Vegas.

The Cabazon Band, the Agua Caliente Band, the Morongo Band, the Pechanga Band and the San Manuel Band all debuted huge new facilities recently. They all go beyond gaming and include high-end hotels, spas, boutiques and other amenities that are marketed at the Vegas crowd.

"What we're actually doing is creating a destination market coming from Los Angeles or Orange County, and spending a night," Anthony Miranda, chairman of the California Nations Indian Gaming Association, told The Los Angeles Times.

But Jim Hughes, general manager of the Palms casino in Las Vegas, said he isn't worried. "I don't want to sound too cocky, but there will never be another Las Vegas," he told the paper.

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Indian Casinos Up the Ante on Vegas (The Los Angeles Times 1/31)