The document outlines a town hall meeting to discuss a proposal to build a Native American gaming facility in Ridgecrest, California. It details the goals of vetting the issue publicly and gathering input, presents information about the proposed facility from the developer and Tribe, and establishes rules for a respectful discussion of the benefits and concerns relating to the project. Public comments and questions are invited on topics including design assurances, community impacts, and process going forward.

1. Town Hall Meeting:
Ridgecrest Entertainment &
Gaming Facility
A PUBLIC PRESENTATION & DISCUSSION OF ALL BENEFITS & DEFICITS OF
BUILDING A NATIVE AMERICAN GAMING FACILITY IN RIDGECREST

2. 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

3. 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

4. Timbisha Shoshone Tribe
George Gholson, Tribe Chairman

5. Developer’s Presentation
Nigel 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

6. Exterior View of Facility

7. Interior View of Entertainment Lounge

8. Interior View of Cocktail Bar

9. Interior View of the Two Restaurants

10. Interior View of the Two Restaurants

11. Interior View of the Steak House (Phase II)

12. Casino Floor View (Slots)

13. Casino Floor View (Tables)

14. Scope of the Project
Phase I
Building 20,000 sq ft
Casino: 349 Slots, 6 Tables 10,000 sq ft
Entertainment Lounge & Bar 3,000 sq ft
Meeting/Conference Rooms (2) 2,000 sq ft
Restaurant & Buffet 130 seats
Cocktail Bar 20 seats
Players Club & Retail Shop 500 sq ft
Total Project Cost = $29,000,000

15. Scope of the Project
Phase II
Hotel & Pool 80 rooms
 Multi-Purpose Convention Center/Theatre 5,000 seats
Steak House 80 seats
Total Project Cost = $16,800,000

16. 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”

17. Ridgecrest Travel Times

18. Ridgecrest Travel Times

19. Population Density, Market Area

20. 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+

21. Visitation
The Market Demand Model has four
distinct markets:
1. Resident Market
2. Localized Tourist/Base Market
3. Resort Overnight Market
4. Highway Intercept Market

22. Visitation
Gravity models are used to calculate
revenue models & three major components
are:
1. Frequency of Attendance
2. Spend per Visit
3. Competitive Adjustment

23. Visitation
Competitive Adjustment differences are:
1. Facility Size
2. Quality
3. Visibility
4. Advertising & Branding

24. Visitation Sources
We 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

25. Visitation Sources
Main Area Sources are:
Tehachapi
California City
Rosamond
Barstow
Lancaster/Palmdale
Bus Visitors to Death Valley
Highway 395 Intercepts

26. Visitation Sources
Benefits 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 tourists
Increase in growth to Ridgecrest
Draw of out of town visitors will result in sustained
economic growth

27. Project Location

28. 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

29. Project Process
Gary 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

30. 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

31. 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

32. 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 time
All monies are payable directly to the City
No Monies are shared by Sacramento
The amount payable is higher than any other city business

33. What’s in the MSA?
PAYMENT FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT
If a hotel is built full TOT taxes will be payable
Addition development…..Tribe agrees to negotiate in
good faith with the City to mitigate impacts…….. (will
pay equivalent type existing fees)

34. 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

35. 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 CASINO
The Tribe will restrict the age for gambling to 21 years of
age……
The drinking age limit is 21 years of age
Under 21 will be allowed in the food establishments

36. 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

37. What’s in the MSA?
 PROBLEM GAMBLING
We contribute financially to this area
The casino area will have mandated signage and
brochures on this subject
Staff will be trained on identifying problem gamblers
Casino with work with the Police Dept. to create a
Gamblers Anonymous presence in the community

38. Project Process
State
Compact
Federal
Land in Trust
City
MSA
CASINO
New Jobs & $

39. Project Process
FEDERAL
(Land into Trust)
Secretary of Interior/BIA Local & State Support Economic Sense Aboriginal Rights
STATE
(Compact)
Local & Regional Support Likelihood of Land into Trust Governor’s Signature Compelling Public Policy Legislative Concurrence
CITY
(MSA)
Local & Regional Support

40. 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

41. 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

42. Public Safety
Chief 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

43. 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

44. Discussion
FAQ
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?

45. Discussion
FAQ
Can the Developer explain exactly how the
casino depicted in the released pictures will be
scaled to fit the descriptions of size and
design?

46. Discussion
FAQ
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?

47. Discussion
FAQ
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?

48. Discussion
FAQ
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?