Chumash Plan Financial Future

Chumash plan financial future NORA K. WALLACE, NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER April 1, 2007 6:13 AM

In the coming years, the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians may expand its hotel space and parking complex and will continue to diversify its economic holdings, its top leader said in an interview this week.

On Thursday, Chairman Vincent Armenta, 44, granted interviews with the media -- the first since being re-elected to his fifth term as tribal chairman in late March. During a wide-ranging, 45-minute discussion with the News-Press, he expressed exasperation about the actions of community groups who oppose the tribe's development and gambling plans, discussed diversifying outside of Santa Barbara County and shared his views on the importance of parking spaces.

Question: What is your economic, social, political and financial vision for the tribe in the next decade?

Answer: We've just been going over a 10-year plan for the tribe. My vision is really diversification to the extent that we're not relying on a single holding, that we know into the future and well beyond the expiration date of our compact (in 2020) that the tribe will be able to continue to afford the important programs we're currently doing, from cultural to education; to ensure that all the tools are available for this generation and the next and the next, to put them in a position to be well-educated and economically sufficient.

Q: You've talked about self-sufficiency in the past.

A: It has to be a multigenerational focus. That really is what myself and the other individuals on the board are here to do. I make the comment to them all the time that we can't control what happened in the past, but we can certainly protect our future, and that's really our goal, for my children and their children, and so on and so on. It's not being sufficient today; it's being sufficient forever.

Q: What about your political vision for the tribe? Do you need to become more of a player in tribal gaming?

A: We are all the time, both on the state and federal level. It's important not just for our tribe to be politically vocal, but for every tribe in California and across the United States. When there is a tribe that finally has an opportunity to be a voice, the economic opportunity to be a voice in politics, it's important to them. A lot of tribes don't have that opportunity. Last year, they were looking at reforming the political contributions on the federal level. I sat in a meeting and explained, "If they make these changes in regulations, there will be some tribes who have the means to overcome these obstacles one way or the other. But it's our voices who are there for the tribes that don't have that opportunity, the ones that still don't have running water on their reservation or where the poverty level is 99 percent." That's why it's important for us to be involved, on the state as well as the federal level.

Q: How successful is the Chumash casino resort?

A: Modestly.

Q: Will you divulge the financials of the casino? A: Never.

Q: What exactly did you mean when you told the board of supervisors that the "door is closed?" Do you foresee any role at all for Santa Barbara County in what goes on with the tribe?

A: Legally, I have to meet with them once a year for the Special Distribution Fund (required by the state gaming compact). That's the only input the county has. They were not here 10, 15, 20 years ago. We offered them an opportunity. They blew it. That's it.

Q: Did you feel disrespected?

A: : It's not necessarily the fact that they're disrespecting me, but they're disrespecting the tribe and the idea of tribal government. And that's the part that's frustrating to me.

Q: What does the concept of tribal sovereignty mean to you?

A: It's the right to self-governing.

Q: Has the tribe, or is the tribe, discussing the expansion of the number of slot machines now, or for the future?

A: No, we're not. More important to us is parking. We don't have adequate parking space. We don't have enough hotel rooms. Individuals can say we're going to put 5,000 slot machines for a total of 7,000 slot machines. They can say what they want. The facts are the facts. Anyone looking at it should first ask themselves, "Could the demographics handle that?" I think the obvious answer is no. Would the governor allow that many machines in a facility? The answer is no. He hasn't and I don't believe he ever will. It was simply a number thrown out there for the purpose of conversation. So there is no plan for slot machines. I will be looking at the problems we currently do have -- parking and hotel rooms.

Q: Doesn't the recent purchase of the Royal Scandinavian Inn help with the hotel room problem?

A: The RSI helps a little bit. That ran a 60 percent occupancy rate to begin with. Which isn't much leeway. There's a quote from Jon Bowen (president of Preservation of Santa Ynez), "Let them do what they want on their reservation." Plus, I received a letter from the California Gambling Control Commission; these individuals don't believe we should have hotels off the reservation. They have complained that we should have no off-site parking or busing. And they're complaining about traffic. The letter is very clear: They do not want our customers on a bus. They want them driving. The fact is, I might just take them up on it. Q: When you talk about more parking, more hotels, are you talking about building or purchasing?

A: It would be additional on-site parking and hotel rooms. It's difficult. We have a very, very small piece of land. What's interesting, I was reading some historical court documents, there was a lawsuit filed in the late 1800s to take away 11,005 acres to keep it away from the Indians. In return, we'd get 99 acres. So we're short on land. Can it happen? Will it happen? I don't know, but it's certainly something I need to look into, because it's my responsibility. It's not my responsibility to decide. That goofball (Jon) Bowen said, "We don't have a problem with the tribe, we have a problem with the leadership."

What people need to understand -- and let's be very clear on this -- is the leadership is not the one that decides to expand. They're not the ones that decide to negotiate, decide whether negotiations are good or bad. If we want more slot machines, the tribe has to say more slot machines. If we want additional parking, if we want to buy a hotel, the tribe has to decide. It's not our (the leadership's) decision. In our general council meetings, I'm not allowed to vote. It's my responsibility to look. That's what I was elected for. I need to bring the opportunities to the tribe and listen to the tribe. I believe history proves it; the entire leadership is doing a good job. Every single one of them was re-elected.

Q: So many tribes are diversifying their holdings. The Chumash have concentrated on purchasing real estate. What kind of future diversification do you see for the Chumash?

A: It can be a number of things and in a number of places. Real estate in Santa Ynez is extremely valuable. Regardless of what individuals say about home values dropping, that's not the case. In this area, being a tourist place, it makes sense to try to get some properties within the area that would create some type of synergy to our facility. As we're looking to the future, we're looking and have our eyes open. We have our eyes open for investments, quite honestly, across the United States.

Q: Does that mean joining someone else with another casino? Or buying property?

A: It means anything. Could it mean a casino in Las Vegas? I don't know. It could. You need to look at things like that. You need to look at hotels in larger cities. You need to look at opportunities. A lot of tribes are doing it. The Mohegan Sun (in Connecticut) is doing a good job of it. Foxwoods (owned by the the Mashantucket Pequot in Connecticut) is, too. It's something we need to look at, too. And we are. We have great examples out there to follow. Q: What do you think of the concerns expressed in the community about the casino, crime, gambling addiction and decreased property values all linked to the casino? Should the community have some say in the plans of the tribe?

A: The community can have a say, and it's obvious they did have a say when we built the last facility. We listened to the comments that were submitted that were not a biased comment. We changed the structure around quite a bit, and in doing so we shortchanged ourselves quite a bit in terms of size, space, the potential.

As for crime, nobody should ever listen to me about crime statistics. The Sheriff's Department spokesman came out here two weeks ago on TV and in public and said there's no relationship between the crime and the casino. It's important they listen to the sheriff. Some people accused us of bribing the Sheriff's Department. They're wackos. Goofballs.

Gambling addiction is terrible. (Gaming) is simply entertainment. I have said that time and time again. If somebody has a gambling problem, please do not come to our casino. These wackos, these concerned groups are trying to blow it all completely out of proportion. They have individuals who say, "I moved here two years ago and you're ruining the valley." Excuse me? The casino was here two years ago and we were here a lot longer. If you don't like it, go back to Los Angeles.

Thank goodness we have a relationship with the Sheriff's Department, so when there are illegal activities, we can catch them. Individuals should be saying thank you for doing that, for keeping them off our streets.

Q: How long do you perceive yourself being chairman?

A: I don't know. I can't answer that. When there's no more progress to be made. At the end of this term, it will be 10 years. This controversy they're having here? I enjoy it. e-mail: [email protected]

MIKE ELIASON / NEWS-PRESS