The new terms will see the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians and the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians pay California’s coffers 15 percent of revenue on the first 3,000 additional slots and 25 percent on the next 2,500 machines in a deal that is good through 2030. Currently each tribe operates 2,000 slot machines. The Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians has a facility north of San Diego in Temecula, California while the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians has an east Los Angeles casino in San Bernardino County.
“These compacts are a great deal for the state, the tribe and the local communities,” said Governor Schwarzenegger in a statement released on his website. “These agreements will provide billions of dollars to the state over the life of the compacts while protecting the environment, local communities, workers and patrons.”
According to Schwarzenegger, under the terms of the amended compact with the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians, the state will increase its income from the tribe's existing 2,000 slot machines from approximately $27 million to $42.5 million per year. The tribe will also pay an annual payment of $2 million to the Revenue Sharing Trust Fund (RSTF). The newly signed compact also authorizes the California Gambling Control Commission to direct a portion of the revenue received by the state to the RSTF to ensure that each eligible recipient tribe receives its annual disbursement of $1.1 million.
The Department of Finance estimates that the amended compact with the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians will generate more than $7 billion to the state over the life of the compact if the tribe operates all 7,500 machines. If the tribe only increases its slot machine count to 5,000 the state will still receive more than $3.7 billion over the life of the compact.
"This new agreement will provide our people and our employees with long-term certainty and new opportunities," Pechanga Tribal Chairman Mark Macarro said in a statement.
Coincidentally, the tribe made a $50,000 donation to a political account controlled by Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata (D-Oakland), who has been a supporter of this amended agreement.
As for the new deal with the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, the state expects to increase its share of the profits from approximately $19.4 million to $45 million per year. The San Manuel Band of Mission Indians has also agreed to pay an annual payment of $2 million to the Revenue Sharing Trust Fund (RSTF) and their deal will also authorize the California Gambling Control Commission to direct a portion of the revenue received by the state to the RSTF to ensure that each eligible recipient tribe receives its annual disbursement of $1.1 million.
The Department of Finance estimates that the amended compact for the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians will generate more than $7.2 billion to the state over the life of the compact if the tribe operates all 7,500 slot machines and earn more than $3.8 billion if they operate 5,000 slot machines.
Other items in the newly signed compacts include requiring the tribe to resolve disputes through binding arbitration, environmental impact reports must be prepared ahead of casino expansions and new facilities must meet or exceed building codes.
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