Post by Okwes on May 23, 2007 9:48:41 GMT -5
San Manuel Band develops retail center
San Manuel Band of Mission Indians -- Victoria
Development Corporation, an enterprise of the San Manuel Band of Serrano
Mission Indians, broke ground in December 2006 on the 12-acre San Manuel
Village shown in this artist's rendering. It will be a mixed-use retail
center in the city of Highland, located in the picturesque San
Bernardino Mountains. HIGHLAND, Calif. - If ever there was a tribe that
has the business know-how and savvy to succeed at off-reservation
businesses, it's the San Manuel Band of Serrano Mission Indians.
In December 2006, the Victoria Development Corp., an enterprise of the
tribe, broke ground on the 12-acre San Manuel Village, a mixed-use
commercial development project in the city of Highland, located in the
picturesque San Bernardino Mountains.
''The tribe created Victoria Development to take care of some of its
off-reservation enterprises,'' said Eric Jennings, project manager of
Victoria Development.
Once complete, the San Manuel Village will boast a 110-room Hampton Inn
and Suites hotel, several sit-down restaurants, popular retail stores
and a three-story professional office building. Combined, the building
area spans 169,300 square feet.
Vince Duro, vice chairman of the San Manuel Tribe, said the concept for
the project began about seven years ago. It went through several
different design changes before the tribe settled on the current
architectural scheme.
Currently, heavy machinery are trenching and leveling the dirt to make
way for the foundations of the several buildings within the development.
Duro said that the tribe has received letters of intent from Roundtable
Pizza, Starbucks Coffee and Cold Stone Creamery, just to name of few.
But it's not official until the contracts are drawn up and signed. He
said the confirmation of tenants would come later in the project.
The shopping center will come with a panoramic view of the city and the
scenic backdrop of nearby foothills and snow-capped mountains. Jennings
said that future tenants could place their signage in three different
locations on the property, as it will be surrounded by Highland and
Boulder avenues and State Route 330.
''It lends itself to view, light and air that residents of Highland
enjoy,'' Jennings said.
Highland, with a population of more than 51,000, borders the San Manuel
reservation and is about 50 minutes southwest of Big Bear Lake, a resort
town nestled high in the San Bernardino Mountains, popular for snow
skiing, boating and its Alpine village ambiance.
The grand opening of the San Manuel Village is slated for December.
''We're hoping it will be successful and a coup for the tribe, and for
other tribes to look at and be a role model,'' Duro said. ''We're going
to be able to see it and have that sense of pride and ownership once it
gets done.''
The San Manuel Band has about 200 enrolled members; the reservation
spans 820, mostly hilly, acres. The casino takes up most of the land
that is suitable for business projects.
Similar to other California gaming tribes, the San Manuel Band had
meager resources on which to capitalize prior to its gaming days. Since
settling on the reservation in 1891, it has withstood decades of poverty
and financial struggles. When the bingo hall opened up in 1986, then
expanded to the 100,000-square-foot San Manuel Indian Bingo and Casino
in 1994, the future turned to one filled with promise.
And the band has succeeded at a slew of off-reservation projects.
Its joint venture with three other tribes, known as the Four Fires
project, has proven successful. The 13-story, 233-room suite Residence
Inn by Marriott opened in Washington, D.C., in 2005, at an estimated
cost of $43 million.
''The tribe is pushing forward with economic developments that will
transcend future generations with sustainable and diverse revenue source
to benefit our children's children,'' said San Manuel Chairman Henry
Duro, in a press release.
Meanwhile, another Residence Inn by Marriott is slated to open in
Sacramento by early May. This time, the band joined with two other
tribes in the $53 million Three Fires venture.
The band's additional ventures include the San Manuel Bottled Water
Group, purchase of the renowned Twin Palms restaurant in Pasadena and
the purchase of land/office buildings in Orange County.
''Strengthening our tribal government and building a robust and
diversified economy is of utmost importance and this coming to pass
through partnerships in which we join cities and businesses for the
benefit of all,'' Henry said.
San Manuel Band of Mission Indians -- Victoria
Development Corporation, an enterprise of the San Manuel Band of Serrano
Mission Indians, broke ground in December 2006 on the 12-acre San Manuel
Village shown in this artist's rendering. It will be a mixed-use retail
center in the city of Highland, located in the picturesque San
Bernardino Mountains. HIGHLAND, Calif. - If ever there was a tribe that
has the business know-how and savvy to succeed at off-reservation
businesses, it's the San Manuel Band of Serrano Mission Indians.
In December 2006, the Victoria Development Corp., an enterprise of the
tribe, broke ground on the 12-acre San Manuel Village, a mixed-use
commercial development project in the city of Highland, located in the
picturesque San Bernardino Mountains.
''The tribe created Victoria Development to take care of some of its
off-reservation enterprises,'' said Eric Jennings, project manager of
Victoria Development.
Once complete, the San Manuel Village will boast a 110-room Hampton Inn
and Suites hotel, several sit-down restaurants, popular retail stores
and a three-story professional office building. Combined, the building
area spans 169,300 square feet.
Vince Duro, vice chairman of the San Manuel Tribe, said the concept for
the project began about seven years ago. It went through several
different design changes before the tribe settled on the current
architectural scheme.
Currently, heavy machinery are trenching and leveling the dirt to make
way for the foundations of the several buildings within the development.
Duro said that the tribe has received letters of intent from Roundtable
Pizza, Starbucks Coffee and Cold Stone Creamery, just to name of few.
But it's not official until the contracts are drawn up and signed. He
said the confirmation of tenants would come later in the project.
The shopping center will come with a panoramic view of the city and the
scenic backdrop of nearby foothills and snow-capped mountains. Jennings
said that future tenants could place their signage in three different
locations on the property, as it will be surrounded by Highland and
Boulder avenues and State Route 330.
''It lends itself to view, light and air that residents of Highland
enjoy,'' Jennings said.
Highland, with a population of more than 51,000, borders the San Manuel
reservation and is about 50 minutes southwest of Big Bear Lake, a resort
town nestled high in the San Bernardino Mountains, popular for snow
skiing, boating and its Alpine village ambiance.
The grand opening of the San Manuel Village is slated for December.
''We're hoping it will be successful and a coup for the tribe, and for
other tribes to look at and be a role model,'' Duro said. ''We're going
to be able to see it and have that sense of pride and ownership once it
gets done.''
The San Manuel Band has about 200 enrolled members; the reservation
spans 820, mostly hilly, acres. The casino takes up most of the land
that is suitable for business projects.
Similar to other California gaming tribes, the San Manuel Band had
meager resources on which to capitalize prior to its gaming days. Since
settling on the reservation in 1891, it has withstood decades of poverty
and financial struggles. When the bingo hall opened up in 1986, then
expanded to the 100,000-square-foot San Manuel Indian Bingo and Casino
in 1994, the future turned to one filled with promise.
And the band has succeeded at a slew of off-reservation projects.
Its joint venture with three other tribes, known as the Four Fires
project, has proven successful. The 13-story, 233-room suite Residence
Inn by Marriott opened in Washington, D.C., in 2005, at an estimated
cost of $43 million.
''The tribe is pushing forward with economic developments that will
transcend future generations with sustainable and diverse revenue source
to benefit our children's children,'' said San Manuel Chairman Henry
Duro, in a press release.
Meanwhile, another Residence Inn by Marriott is slated to open in
Sacramento by early May. This time, the band joined with two other
tribes in the $53 million Three Fires venture.
The band's additional ventures include the San Manuel Bottled Water
Group, purchase of the renowned Twin Palms restaurant in Pasadena and
the purchase of land/office buildings in Orange County.
''Strengthening our tribal government and building a robust and
diversified economy is of utmost importance and this coming to pass
through partnerships in which we join cities and businesses for the
benefit of all,'' Henry said.