Robert Smith Talks Tribal Gaming and Online Poker

There is a recent article from tribalgovernmentgaming.com dated April 9th, 2014 that quotes Robert Smith fairly extensively.

Here is the link to the article:

Going Commercial By Dave Bontempo Wed, Apr 09, 2014

There is a few paragraph introduction to Indian Gaming.  If you scroll down a bit you will come to this subheading:

Pala: One Powerful Executive

Here are a few quotes:
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The Pala group used other people’s money to build its empire and the bank had a long-term customer. Pala later obtained a second $125 million loan for expansion and has paid down most of its debt.
“We only owe about $40 million now,” Smith says. “We could pay it off but would rather leave the credit open in case we decide to do a facelift.”
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That formula also concerns gaming’s next golden goose. Smith, the chairman of the California Tribal Business Alliance, says he has personally helped the effort to bring two online gaming bills before the California legislature. He hopes they pass by the end of the summer, enabling all state tribes the option of establishing online gambling.

“It would take from $10 million to $20 million to get started, so most tribes in California would not be able to do it,” Smith asserts, “but this is another case in which everyone will benefit. We will negotiate a fee for the state and we also will build a call center, etc. Hopefully, we will get this one over the finish line.”

Pala has joined with former PartyPoker chief Jim Ryan to form Pala Interactive. While the tribe has not revealed its plans for this venture, an early announcement that Pala has partnered with poker superstar Phil Ivey is just an indication that Pala has grand visions for a legal iPoker industry in California.

Read Full Article Here - Going Commercial By Dave Bontempo Wed, Apr 09, 2014 

Remijo Lugo

This was emailed to me.  I guess it's another letter going around Pala.  On the 1913 Pala Allotment Roll both Margarita Brittain and Remijo Lugo are listed as 4/4.  But Pala's EC decided to ignore this in order to disenroll us.  If this is allowed to stand then anyone's blood line could be questioned.

Our elders decided over 50 years ago what the base roll of the tribe is and what the enrollment requirements were to be.  1/16 "Pala" blood and direct lineal descendent from the 1913 Pala Allotment Roll. Didn't matter if one was Yaqui, Cahuilla, Luiseno, or Kupa.  If you were part of the removal our elders decided you were part of the tribe.

Why over 50 years later has this changed?

Lugo Family Bloodline

1913 Pala Allotment Roll

Off Reservation Casino Proposal Crosses Another Milestone

Desert Dispatch.com - Casino's final impact statement released

BARSTOW • A proposed $160 million casino and resort off Lenwood Road near Interstate 15 has been cleared of any major negative impact on the environment by the U.S. Department of Interior.

The final environmental impact statement released Friday, which must proceed through a 30-day comment period, represents a major hurdle cleared in the 12-year effort to build the complex with 57,000 square feet of gaming space.

The Los Coyotes Band of Cahuilla and Cupeno Indians has been seeking to build the casino on about 23 acres of land near the Tanger Outlet mall for years.

Read More Here - Desert Dispatch.com - Casino's final impact statement released

See Also:

Barstow Casino Development Takes a Giant Step Forward