Agua Caliente Band expands fuel brand with new locations in Cathedral City and Palm Springs

CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. (KESQ)  - The Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians is expanding its Agua Caliente Fuel brand with two new locations planned for Cathedral City and Palm Springs. Both sites are projected to open in mid-2026.

The Cathedral City location will be built on tribal property at the northwest corner of East Palm Canyon Drive and Monty Hall Drive. Plans for that site include 24 fueling positions, six fueling lanes with extended queuing, and a 1,000-square-foot attendant building.

In Palm Springs, the new Agua Caliente Fuel will be located at the northeast corner of Lawrence Crossley Road and Dinah Shore Drive on approximately 3.6 acres. The development will feature a 9,500-square-foot convenience store, including about 2,900 square feet of gaming space with approximately 90 gaming machines. The site will also include a 625-square-foot fuel attendant building near 24 fueling positions and 12 Level 3 electric vehicle charging stations. Solar canopies are planned over each EV charging space.

Tribal Chairman Reid D. Milanovich said the Tribe is pleased to expand convenient fuel options in Cathedral City and Palm Springs, in addition to its existing Rancho Mirage location. He stated that construction of the new sites will help drive job growth and support the local construction economy.

The Tribe’s current Agua Caliente Fuel location is at 32-279 Bob Hope Drive in Rancho Mirage, across from Agua Caliente Casino Rancho Mirage. That site offers 24 fueling positions and six EV charging stations, along with a convenience store that includes a walk-up and drive-through Java Caliente, a beer cave, a full-service market, and 750 square feet of gaming space with 43 gaming machines.

Traffic Impacts in Cathedral City

Construction of the Cathedral City location is now underway and is causing temporary traffic changes along East Palm Canyon Drive.

Traffic has been reduced to one westbound lane between Date Palm Drive and Van Fleet Drive. The roadway is expected to fully reopen within a month, just ahead of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.

Additional construction work on Monty Hall Drive is scheduled to begin after the 10th Annual Cathedral City LGBT+ Days concludes on March 8. During that phase of construction, northbound traffic on Monty Hall Drive will be closed, though some southbound lanes will remain open.

Drivers are advised to plan ahead, allow extra travel time, and use caution in the area as crews continue work on the project.