Ridgecrest Town Hall: Indian Casino Discussion
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Transcript of Ridgecrest Town Hall: Indian Casino Discussion
Town Hall Meeting:Ridgecrest Entertainment & Gaming Facility
A PUBLIC PRESENTATION & DISCUSSION OF ALL BENEFITS & DEFICITS OF BUILDING A NATIVE AMERICAN GAMING FACILITY IN
RIDGECREST
Goals of Town Hall To thoroughly vet the issue of an Municipal Service Agreement
with the Timbisha Shoshone Tribe with the Ridgecrest public To present the full scope of the project from the perspectives of
the Developer & the City To respond to all concerns and gather information from the
public regarding the Indian Casino To educate the public on the steps the City can and is taking to
protect public interest To measure public support and opposition to the Indian Casino
Town Hall Rules
Be respectful of all input, from Developer, City Staff, and members of the public
Only ask questions that have not been answered No applause to points that are made Please respect the Timbisha Shoshone Tribe who are
looking to grow their community within their Aboriginal Territory
Timbisha Shoshone Tribe
George Gholson, Tribe Chairman
Developer’s PresentationNigel White, Developer for the Timbisha Shoshone Tribe
Index Pictures, Exterior and Interior-An Elegant Modern Facility
Phase I: Building Elevation, Entertainment Lounge, Cocktail Bar, Food Court, Restaurant, Casino
Phase II: Steakhouse Architecture & Interior Design by the Friedmutter Group Pictures are actual but will be close to final product
Scope of the Entertainment Project Economics of the Entertainment Project Employment (Jobs) Visitation
FOR ADDITIONAL GAMING INFORMATION:American Gaming Association (AGA) www.americangaming.org
National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) www.nigc.gov
Exterior View of Facility
Interior View of Entertainment Lounge
Interior View of Cocktail Bar
Interior View of the Two Restaurants
Interior View of the Two Restaurants
Interior View of the Steak House (Phase II)
Casino Floor View (Slots)
Casino Floor View (Tables)
Scope of the ProjectPhase I
Building20,000 sq ft
Casino: 349 Slots, 6 Tables10,000 sq ft
Entertainment Lounge & Bar3,000 sq ft
Meeting/Conference Rooms (2)2,000 sq ft
Restaurant & Buffet130 seats
Cocktail Bar20 seats
Players Club & Retail Shop500 sq ft
Total Project Cost = $29,000,000
Scope of the Project
Phase IIHotel & Pool
80 rooms Multi-Purpose Convention Center/Theatre 5,000 seatsSteak House
80 seatsTotal Project Cost = $16,800,000
Economics An Economic Engine for Ridgecrest New Revenue Source from the Facility & Ancillaries
Local Residents & Tourists Casino Gaming Benefits
New Jobs, Payrolls, & Local Purchases Economic Revitalization Adding Revenues & Benefits from Building the Facility
Food, Clothing, Health Care, Utilities, Housing, Recreation “8 Times Economic Multiplier Effect”
Ridgecrest Travel Times
Ridgecrest Travel Times
Population Density, Market Area
Employment Construction Jobs
100 Entertainment Casino New Jobs – Phase I 180
Will be 7th largest Employer in Ridgecrest Induced Jobs
70 Payroll, Benefits, & Taxes (excluding tips) $6.9
Million Average Cost per Employee
$38,044 Estimated Local Spending by Employees $2.2
Million 20% of the Jobs created will need housing 36
Out of town employees with an: Increase in value to existing homes Positive impact on property taxes
Over 50% of the Jobs created at an excellent wage = 90+
Visitation
The Market Demand Model has four distinct markets:
1.Resident Market2.Localized Tourist/Base Market3.Resort Overnight Market4.Highway Intercept Market
Visitation
Gravity models are used to calculate revenue models & three major components are:
1.Frequency of Attendance2.Spend per Visit3.Competitive Adjustment
Visitation
Competitive Adjustment differences are:
1.Facility Size2.Quality3.Visibility4.Advertising & Branding
Visitation SourcesWe have calculated that 66% of visitation to
the Project will be from the Resident Market, Localized Tourist/Base Market, & Resort Overnight Marketing (All “Local”)
34% of visitation to the Project will be from outside the 25 mile “Local” market. This segment comprises over 67,000 visitors annually either by bus, car, or truck
Visitation SourcesMain Area Sources are:
TehachapiCalifornia CityRosamondBarstowLancaster/PalmdaleBus Visitors to Death ValleyHighway 395 Intercepts
Visitation SourcesBenefits to Local Ridgecrest Businesses:
Increased traffic to/from the new Walmart and local businesses
Increase in visitation will increase hotel stay & the TOT tax
Increase in gasoline taxes from additional touristsIncrease in growth to RidgecrestDraw of out of town visitors will result in
sustained economic growth
Project Location
What does the Municipal Service Agreement do?
Establishes the terms of the relationship between the City of Ridgecrest and the Timbisha Shoshone Tribe for the purpose of building a gaming facility
Terms relate to what the Casino will exchange in return for City infrastructure and services
Project ProcessGary Parsons, Economic Development Director
• Establishes relationship• Creates terms of
exchange: cash for services
• Outlines project expectations
• Allows for public input through Council
Municipal Service
Agreement
• Negotiates prices for land• May attach covenants to
land• Council will approve
terms of land sale
Land Sale
Role of the Government
The development of a gaming facility by the Timbisha Shoshone is considered a private business venture City cannot pick winners through a biased process
City can protect the public interests through the terms of the MSA and the Land Sale (next step in the process)
Behooves all parties to develop a strong relationship
What’s in the MSA? CONSTRUCTION & CITY CODES
Project complies with all applicable City general, specific and community plans, zoning ordinances and design guidelines in effect at the time of development
The Tribe shall adopt the building standards set out in the City’s adopted building codes…
The Tribe agrees to contract with the City to provide, planning, building and safety, fire prevention, and public works personnel to review construction plans and inspect construction of improvements on the Trust Lands, to insure compliance with adopted codes
Said review and inspection services shall be provided at the City’s normal rates for such services
What’s in the MSA?MITIGATON FEES
2% of the Projects appraised value and annual payments for police and fire services and problem gambling. The Phase I fees for the City’s General Fund are anticipated to be over $400,000
The amount will increase over timeAll monies are payable directly to the CityNo Monies are shared by SacramentoThe amount payable is higher than any other city
business
What’s in the MSA?
PAYMENT FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENTIf a hotel is built full TOT taxes will be payableAddition development…..Tribe agrees to
negotiate in good faith with the City to mitigate impacts…….. (will pay equivalent type existing fees)
What’s in the MSA?LAW ENFORCEMENT
The City has authority to enforce State and local criminal laws on the Trust Lands
The Tribe will donate a police car and equipment for $80,000
The Tribe and City law enforcement shall fully coordinate and cooperate…..
The Chief of Police will personally elaborate on Law Enforcement
What’s in the MSA?EMPLOYMENT OF CITY RESIDENTS
The Tribe shall work in good faith with the City, to employ qualified residents at the Gaming Facility……….
ALLOWED GAMBLING AGE IN CASINOThe Tribe will restrict the age for gambling to 21
years of age……The drinking age limit is 21 years of ageUnder 21 will be allowed in the food establishments
What’s in the MSA?OTHER DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS
The Tribe shall undertake no new development that would be inconsistent with the moral climate of the community……………
If the Tribe undertakes a new business development project(s), it will notify the City at least three months prior to the commencement of construction of the new project and will negotiate in good faith with the City concerning an agreement for the protection of the Parties’ interests and the well-being of the surrounding community
What’s in the MSA?
PROBLEM GAMBLINGWe contribute financially to this areaThe casino area will have mandated signage and
brochures on this subject Staff will be trained on identifying problem gamblersCasino with work with the Police Dept. to create a
Gamblers Anonymous presence in the community
Project Process
StateCompact
FederalLand in Trust
CityMSA
CASINONew Jobs & $
Project Process
Public Safety M.S.A.
The City has authority to enforce State and local criminal laws on the Trust Lands (Project)
The Tribe and City law enforcement shall fully coordinate and cooperate…..
The Tribe and many other Tribes as well as corporate casinos throughout the United States have private security and
surveillance to ensure the safety of their guests and to ensure that cheating and crime do not occur on their property and in
their facility. Casinos are also one of the most highly regulated businesses in the United States, dictating the need
for a professional security and surveillance team. Many surveillance cameras will cover the entire facility
Public Safety To ensure the regulatory environment is complied
with and to ensure the safety of our guests: The Facility has a Security team of 20 supervisors and
officers The Facility also has a Surveillance team of 7 supervisors
and officers This team covers the entire Facility on a 24 hour basis
Public SafetyChief Ronald Strand, Ridgecrest Police Dept.
Impact of casino on general public safety Other jurisdiction experiences Considerations for traffic impact General impression of potential for crime rate
changes
Discussion Council & Staff will address concerns that have
been brought to public attention through Council meeting, community discussion, and social media
Tribal Members & Developer are invited to participate in order to thoroughly investigate each concern
Public comment will follow the presentation of key issues by the moderator
DiscussionFAQ
How can the community guarantee the quality of design being presented today?What assurances will the Developer make
& where do they enter into the agreement?
Has the Developer investigated other locations? What would those locations be and why aren’t they being considered?
DiscussionFAQ
Can the Developer explain exactly how the casino depicted in the released pictures will be scaled to fit the descriptions of size and design?
DiscussionFAQ
What will happen if the Navy disapproves of the site location for mission reasons?Where in the process where the Navy
comment?What liabilities will the City have should
the proposal fall apart after the Land Sale?
DiscussionFAQ
How does the Tribe intend to participate as a new member of the Ridgecrest community?What contributions will be made?What committees with it join?
How does the Developer intend to mitigate water impact?
DiscussionFAQ
What opportunity with the public have to give input during the Land Sale?
Has Council and/or the Staff spoken with other communities that have been effected by a Tribal casino? What is the impression from those discussions?