5 th Anniversary Backgrounder

Tribe to Tribe - A Journey to Economic Success

May of 2006 marks the 5 th Anniversary of the business relationship between two tribes from very different geographic regions of the United States and different historic cultures, the Yavapai Apache Nation from Northern Arizona 's Mesa Verde Region, and the Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians of California's Central Sierra Region. While the business relationship is ending after a five year agreement, the cross tribal friendships, sharing of cultures, and personal individual relationships developed continue to grow.

The Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians Community Council began researching self reliance through Indian Gaming in the late 90's. Tribal economic development projects at this point were on a smaller scale. The Community Council realized that in order to achieve their goal of becoming self reliant; they had to move in the direction of Indian Gaming immediately. Like other tribes during this time, financial hardships were plaguing the tribe's existence. The Tribal Government was struggling to meet the needs of its Tribal Community. Housing, education, social services, and medical issues were all dependent on government allocations, which were insufficient & decreasing while Tribal needs were growing at an alarming rate.

Delegates of the Community Council began consulting with other Tribal groups and investors who had previously established gaming venues. The Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians at this time, in discussing their vision of a resort including family entertainment with their own legal counsel, was introduced to a Tribe in Northern Arizona . Cliff Castle Casino was owned and operated by the Yavapai Apache Nation. This was a small property with gaming, good food, and a family bowling center which mirrored the Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians' vision. An offer for a visit to the Yavapai Apache property was eagerly accepted by the Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians.

The bond between the two Tribes with different historical backgrounds began immediately. A level of trust was built upon mutual respect between the Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians and the Yavapai Apache Nation. The Yavapai Apache Nation's immediate offer of financial support to help the Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians recover from the weak financial position that

-MORE-

existed at the time was only a small part of the way the Yavapai Apache Nation approached establishing what became the Technical Services Agreement adopted by the two Tribes.

The Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians established a solid relationship with the government and people of the Tuolumne valley and surrounding County where they had lived for generations. An integral part of the plan for economic growth began with a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians & the County, this MOU established a way for the Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians to pay for any impacts their growth had on the infrastructure of the County. In addition the Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians along with their consultants addressed all water and sewer impacts, and performed protocol surveys for the United States Fish and Wildlife Service of the entire Tuolumne Valley area which would be the site of economic development, accentuated the native respect for the land of their ancestral home.

The Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians vision of economic self reliance led to a resurgence of participation in the Community Council. Some tribal members left careers and jobs away from the Rancheria to come home and help make this vision a reality. This economic endeavor provided tribal members with career opportunities that were not possible in the past. There was a need to stabilize tribal organization, develop policies and procedures, and manage financial commitments thereby strengthening the Tribal Government. New bonds between Council Members grew and this new energy helped get the Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians headed in the right direction. The Yavapai Apache Nation introduced the Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians to KGA Architects and Kitchell Construction Company and there was finally a plan to build.

John O'Neil the General Manager of Cliff Castle Casino introduced the Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians to some very talented people and a strong management team was assembled to help guide the development of this idea into a viable, efficient, Casino property. With a great deal of effort and participation of Tribal Members, construction crews and the new Casino staff a temporary Casino had to be built to meet stringent time guidelines set forth by the State Tribal Gaming Compact. The effort produced the 20,500 s.f. Black Oak Casino, locally known as Phase I. This temporary casino met all of the requirements set forth in the state criteria which opened May 15, 2001. Phase II, which is the casino that the Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians had envisioned from the beginning, includes 162,000 s.f. of gaming space, fine dining, casual dining, lounge, bowling alley, arcade, sports bar and family style restaurant opened in January, 2005.

-MORE-

The Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians acquired a 350 acre piece of commercial property that is rich in historical and cultural value at a foreclosure auction in March, 2002 and that purchase established a new direction for future economic growth of the Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians plan as a destination resort. Future plans for this piece of property and others that the Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians have acquired in the past five years include a hotel, parking structure, golf course, casino support, and most importantly Tribal Housing. With the help of the Yavapai Apache Nation the Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians has developed a new Health Center , Public Security, Expanded Education, Social Service, and Planning & Housing Departments.

As the Tribes look to the future, the relationship between them continues to grow. The Technical Services Advisory role has been replaced by personal relationships between the two Tribes that will be a bond that will last through time. This relationship can best be described by Vincent Randall who was the Chairman of the Yavapai Council at the beginning of this partnership, "Never did we realize the potential that we unleashed as partners would result in the success that both tribes have gained not only in business but in relationships with people. As the Tuolumne Band grows and becomes more successful the Yavapai Apache rejoices that the central theme of Tribe helping Tribe has come full circle. As we part company, we are truly entrenched as two groups of people that face the future not only as economically sound but spiritually as American Indians."

###