Agua Caliente Band breaks ground on third gaming facility

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Groundbreaking of the Agua Caliente Casino Cathedral City
Groundbreaking of the Agua Caliente Casino Cathedral City
Posted by Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians on Monday, November 4, 2019

Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians: Groundbreaking of the Agua Caliente Casino Cathedral City

The Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians will open a third gaming facility in southern California after winning approval from the federal government.

Just last month, the Bureau of Indian Affairs agreed to acquire the 12.5-acre site in Cathedral city for the tribe. Plans call for a 125,000 square-foot casino with 500 electronic gaming machines and some table games on a total footprint of 13.6 acres.

"We are excited to begin construction on this large-scale investment in Cathedral City," Chairman Jeff L. Grubbe said in a news release announcing the groundbreaking on Monday. "This project will create jobs, revitalize an undeveloped downtown property and support Cathedral City's economic development efforts."

Thank you to everyone who joined us today for the groundbreaking of the new Agua Caliente Casino Cathedral City.
Posted by Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians on Monday, November 4, 2019

$P Generally, land acquired after the passage of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act in 1988 can't be used for a casino. But that doesn't apply when the land is contiguous an existing reservation.

In the case of Cathedral City, the site is contiguous to the Agua Caliente Reservation, according to the BIA. Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Tara Sweeney, a Trump administration appointee who oversees the agency, approved the land-into-trust application in early October.

"We have been waiting for this day to happen and we could not be more pleased. Downtown Cathedral City is now the place for quality theatrical performances, blockbuster films, concerts, outdoor festivals, and soon to be added to our collection, gaming," said Mayor Mark Carnevale. The city approved an intergovernmental agreement and the memorandum of understanding with the tribe for the project.

The tribe operates the Spa Resort Casino in Palm Springs and the Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa in Rancho Mirage. Cathedral City is located between those two facilities.

The tribe's Class III gaming compact was amended in 2016 to authorize up to four additional casinos. The agreement specifically envisioned facilities on sites contiguous to the reservation

Read More on the Story

Agua Caliente predicts quick construction on Cathedral City casino (The Palm Springs Desert Sun November 4, 2019)
Photos: New Agua Caliente Casino breaks ground in Cathedral City (The Palm Springs Desert Sun November 4, 2019)
Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians to break ground on new casino in Cathedral City (KESQ November 4, 2019)
Cathedral City OKs pacts with Agua Caliente tribe for casino at Highway 111, Date Palm Drive (The Palm Springs Desert Sun August 28, 2019)
Cathedral City Council approves multimillion-dollar casino agreement (KESQ August 28, 2019)