Meeting Recap for March 5, 2012

Our keynote speaker this week was Mr. Doug Elmets of Elmets Communication.  A former member of Governor Reagan’s administration, and former member of our club, Doug currently provides public relations advice to numerous Native American tribes throughout California.  He was eager to update us on how our State’s Native Americans have truly “hit the jack-pot” with the tribal gaming business. 

Doug recounted how Native Americans have been very successful in lobbying over the past three decades for ever increasing growth in the scope and breadth of gaming in our State.  What started out as relatively small bingo parlors in rather obscure out of the way reservations has grown into dozens of very lucrative hotel/resort/casino complexes with gross state income last year estimated at around $8 billion!  (That’s billion, with a “b”!) 

Like it or not, the growth of the Indian gaming business has generated much needed income, health care support, and educational support for many of the descendants of our State’s once prolific tribes.  It has generated approximately 60,000 jobs state-wide.  It has generated millions in taxes for local, state, and federal programs.  And through required contributions to a revenue sharing trust fund, income is spread throughout the overall tribal community. 

Although some citizens express concerns about the spread of gaming, Doug believes it is here to stay, and that a properly planned facility can be an asset to the community.  He felt that the success of the Thunder Valley Casino (which some claim is the third most lucrative casino complex in the nation) was due in part to that tribe’s cooperation with the local governments to create a safe and accessible alternative to Nevada’s competing casinos.

Doug noted that the Native American’s are keenly aware that the gaming industry is changing and that the next “wave” of legalized internet gaming is on the horizon, and will no doubt erode their market share over time.  In the meantime, however, he expects our State’s tribes to continue to try to expand their business.  The next major area complex might be to our north in Yuba County, where efforts are under way to develop a major casino near the Sleep Train Amphitheater.  With that county’s economic woes clearly documented, it remains to be seen whether a gaming complex there will be more boom than bust, as only time will tell. 

Thank you Doug for again taking time to update us on this interesting industry and your often amusing but always well informed perspectives.