Tribe releases more details about proposed Vision Agua Caliente expansion

The Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians is releasing more information about the proposed Vision Agua Caliente Master Plan for downtown Palm Springs. Officials said a Draft Tribal Environmental Impact Report has now been completed.

According to the Tribe, the Vision Agua Caliente Master Plan focuses on a project site that includes about 18 acres of Tribal Trust land located within the Section 14 Specific Plan area in downtown Palm Springs. The project included in the Vision Agua Caliente Master Plan is bounded by Amado Road, Calle El Segundo, Tahquitz Canyon Way and Indian Canyon Drive.

The project site contains the existing Spa Resort Casino, located north of Andreas Road between Calle El Segundo and Calle Encilia, surface parking lots, vacant land, and property that is currenlty home to a U.S. Post Office on the southwest corner of Amado Road and Calle Encilia.

It would allow the expansion of the Spa Resort Casino by up to 68,000 square feet and the development and replacement of up to 350 hotel rooms within 510,000 square feet of hotel space, Tribal officials said in the release.

The Master Plan also includes up to 60,000 square feet of meeting space, 50,000 square feet of mixed use/cultural/retail space, a 40,000 square foot spa/fitness center, and approximately 650 parking spaces.

A Building Height Overlay Zone where a maximum building height of 175 feet will be allowed as well.

The Draft TEIR concludes air quality, land use and planning, population and housing, public services (fire services and law enforcement), operation noise, and utilities and service systems (solid waste and energy) impacts would be less than significant, and that potentially significant aesthetic, cultural resources, water resources, construction noise, transportation and traffic, and utilities and service system (water supply, wastewater, and drainage) impacts can be mitigated to less than significant by implementing the mitigation measures identified in the Draft TEIR. No significant effects on the environment were identified, officials said.

The affected public agencies and anyone else interested in the content of the Draft TEIR can leave comments for the Tribe. Visit Agua Caliente’s website for more information.

The Draft TEIR is in compliance with the Tribal Environmental Policy Act (Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians Ordinance No. 28) and Section 11.1 of the Tribal-State Compact between the State of California and the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians.

Palm Spring’s Mayor Robert Moon says he’s optimistic of the tribe’s plans.

“We have a very good relationship with the Agua Caliente Tribe of Cahuilla Indians. I personally talk to Chairman Grubbe frequently, and it’s a partnership because Chairman Grubbe has told me what’s good for Palm Springs is good for all of us, and he believes that and I believe that. I know they want to work with us and I’m confident that they’ve been waiting to see what we’re doing down town before they moved along with their plans to make sure they were complimentary. However, they are a sovereign nation, so we have no control over what they do,” Mayor Moon said.

Local business owners are also looking forward to more foot traffic and the opportunity for a boosted economy.