White Mountains Arizona Casino
“Dagot’ee”- Hello and welcome to the website of the White Mountain Apache Tribe! Our home is in eastern Arizona, where we have lived for thousands of years. We believe that we come from the Earth, and that we belong to the Earth. Our beautiful home was given to us by our Creator and is rich in tradition, resources, wildlife, and outdoor recreation. Our home is very unique. It starts at about 2,600’ above sea level on our southwest side, and ranges all the way up to 11,400’ on the peak of Mt. Baldy on our eastern border, our most sacred mountain, providing year round recreation activities.
“Welcome to the homelands of the White Mountain Apache Tribe! Apaches have been known since time immemorial for being resilient and having the will to survive in tough circumstances. Despite any challenge we may face, the ancestors of before gave us these bloodlines that still remain today.
Check prices on White Mountains Quiet Resorts & Hotels Tonight Dec 24 - Dec 25 Check prices in White Mountains for tonight, Dec 24 - Dec 25 Tomorrow night Dec 25 - Dec 26 Check prices in White Mountains for tomorrow night, Dec 25 - Dec 26 This weekend Dec 25 - Dec 27 Check prices in White Mountains for this weekend, Dec 25 - Dec 27 Next weekend Jan 1 - Jan 3 Check prices in White Mountains for. The White Mountain Apache Tribe, which owns the casino, is implementing weekend lockdowns to help slow the spread of the coronavirus. Clay/White Mountain Apache Tribe via AP) After talking with Grand Canyon National Park, the tribe said it would station law enforcement at its boundary with the park, miles from the Colorado River shore.
Located in the heart of the Great State of Arizona, the White Mountain Apache Tribe is blessed with over 400 miles of clean running rivers, streams, and over 26 lakes that are home to the Apache Trout. Be our guest and experience Trophy Bull Elk hunting, prize fishing and camping, or one of the finest ski destinations at Sunrise Ski Park! Visit us year-round within the four seasons.
The White Mountain Apache Tribe continues to celebrate its culture, language, and songs and dances. The mountains, rivers, and pristine rivers offer an ideal vacation for anyone looking to relax and get away from it all.”
Gwendena Lee-Gatewood, Tribal Chairwoman
Our home is very unique. It starts at about 2,600’ above sea level on our southwest side of the reservation, and ranges all the way up to 11,400’ on the peak of Mt. Baldy on our eastern border next to our most sacred mountain, providing year-round recreational activities. Some of those activities include: hiking, mountain biking, cross-country skiing, downhill skiing, snowboarding, ice-fishing, hunting, gaming, sight-seeing, Trophy Elk hunting, camping, fly fishing, and much more!
Our ancestors have been known since time immemorial for being resilient and having the will to survive in tough circumstances. In the face of many challenges, our fore fathers from long ago gave us these bloodlines that still remain today. The Tribal member of today has the ability to adapt and survive in the 21st century. With strong family values we embrace our past and look forward to future challenges together.
The White Mountain Apache Tribe is known for its world class Trophy Bull Elk hunting, drawing in hunters from all over the world, to get a chance at a world class Trophy Bull Elk and the hunt of a lifetime. The pristine waters found in the White Mountain Apache homelands is an ideal habitat for fishing for the world’s only specie of Apache Trout. We welcome visitors to camp and enjoy any of our hundreds of camp sites in our Creators outdoors.
The state of Arizona has 22 tribes and 14 of them have declared states of emergency in response to COVID-19.
The Navajo Nation is the only tribe in Arizona to announce they have positive cases of COVID-19, and more tribes have shut down their gaming enterprises and implemented more precautions for their communities.
© mrtom-uk, Getty Images/iStockphoto CoronavirusColorado River Indian Tribes
The Colorado River Tribal Council declared a state of emergency March 13.
There are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the Colorado River Indian Tribe, according to a community update written by Chairman Dennis Patch.
The tribe announced the temporary closure of the BlueWater Resort & Casino, effective March 20. The facility will reopen in two weeks or when the tribe determines it's safe, the announcement states.
All other tribal enterprises will remain open 'under new safety measures.'
All tribal departments and enterprises are required to disinfect all surfaces multiple times a day, according to the emergency declaration. Hand sanitizer is available in all departments and enterprises for employees and the public.
Hopi Tribe
The Hopi Tribe declared a state of emergency March 17.
Some of the things the declaration includes are the activation of the Hopi Emergency Response Team, suspension of travel for business for 30 days as well as the cancellation or postponement of all events that gather 50 or more people for the next eight weeks.
All Hopi tribal department managers, village community service administrators and program managers should develop a plan that allows employees to work from home. Vendors will also not be allowed to sell on any tribally owned property.
Hualapai Tribe
The Hualapai Tribal Council declared a state of emergency March 17.
As part of the declaration, an incident command team has been activated to develop a response plan, all non-essential tribal employees will be placed on administrative leave for 14 days and all gatherings of more than 20 people are discouraged.
'The community is not quarantined but we are self-isolating to help prevent the spread of this virus,' Incident Commander Melvin Hunter Jr. said in a press release. 'Until April 1, non-essential departments will either be closed or have minimal staff available.'
Hunter said in a press release that they are encouraging all community members returning home to the Hualapai community from travel or extended absences to check in with EMS for precautionary screening.
White Mountain Apache Casino
San Carlos Apache
The San Carlos Apache Tribe declared a state of emergency March 14.
The tribal council held meetings with health care providers and tribal emergency response officials to determine how best to respond to the pandemic, San Carlos Apache Tribal Chairman Terry Rambler wrote on his Facebook page.
White Mountains Arizona Map
'In these challenging times with this virus that currently does not have a cure, I ask all of us to work together, to look out for each other, and rely on the power of prayer,' Rambler wrote.
The resolution ordered tribal government workers to work from home where possible, while others will be placed on paid administrative leave for 30 days to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Gatherings of more than 100 people are barred, with the exclusion of religious or traditional ceremonial gatherings, economic venues such as the Apache Gold Casino Resort and health care services. Most travel by tribal officials has been halted.
As of March 11, the tribe said that two patients were seen at the San Carlos Apache Healthcare Corporation with COVID-19 symptoms. They were both tested and the results came back negative, according to a press release.
The tribe is preparing for COVID-19, and the medical staff is following the CDC rules for testing, the release states.
The San Carlos Apache Gaming Enterprise has closed its gaming facilities — the Apache Gold Casino Resort and the Apache Sky Casino — from March 19 until April 3, according to Chief Executive Officer Matt Olin.
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Fort McDowell Yavapai
The Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation declared a state of emergency March 18 and announced the temporary closure of the We-Ko-Pa Casino and Resort and tribal government offices until April 2.
'This was a painful decision as our casino is the economic lifeblood of our Nation,' said Bernadine Burnette, president of the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation.
'The global coronavirus crisis threatens the physical health and economic welfare of all Americans. Addressing this crisis requires significant sacrifices from all of us. The Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation will do its part to defeat this threat,' she said.
The tribe will pay employees with benefits during the shutdown, the press release states. The casino and resort closed March 18, and tribal government offices closed March 19.
The Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation closed its senior center March 12 until further notice, according to a release. Only home-bound services will continue, and meals normally served to elders at the center will be delivered.
All gatherings of more than 25 people, including religious services and traditional ceremonies, are now prohibited.
Salt River
The Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community declared a state of emergency March 18.
'An emergency declaration allows the government to act outside normal business practices, for example, normal purchasing procedures do not apply during emergency declarations,' said Martin Harvier, president of the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, in a video posted on the tribe's Facebook page.
'The SPPIMC government will provide essential services even with this emergency declaration in place,' he said.
The tribe activated a command team to deal with the pandemic, said Kim Secakuku, a spokesperson for the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community.
'We have established a hotline for community members to use if they need help or show symptoms,' said Secakuku.
The tribal government is providing its citizens and employees with regular updates and information on the virus' spread, as Secakuku noted that 'things change daily.' The tribe has also canceled community programs and events to prevent disease spread.
The tribe suspended all gaming and resort operations at Talking Stick Resort and Casino Arizona from March 18 to March 31, according to a press release. No employees or guests have been identified with the virus.
Gila River
The tribal council for the Gila River Indian Community announced March 18 that it will be closing all three of its gaming facilities for two weeks.
The salaries and wages for employees impacted by the closure will be maintained for the two-week period, according to the press release.
'The Community Council is aware of the heavy responsibility we bear for the health and well-being of our customers and employees and has determined that this is the best course of action at this time,' Gov. Stephen Roe Lewis said.
The tribe declared a state of emergency March 13 in response to COVID-19. This executive order includes suspending all travel for tribal employees for the next 30 days as well as all community-sponsored gatherings of more than 100 people.
'There have been no reported cases of coronavirus within our community,' Lewis said in a video posted on Facebook.
He said that information comes from his recent meeting with the Gila River Indian Community's COVID-19 task force, which is made up of the Gila River Health Care Department and Gila River Emergency Management Department.
The Gila River Indian Community developed a website to keep its citizens up to date on anything related to COVID-19. The website is grhc.org and the hotline number is 520-550-6079.
Tohono O'odham
The Tohono O'odham Nation declared a state of emergency March 13.
Tohono O'odham Chairman Ned Norris announced that under the nation's constitution, he is establishing a 'unified command' which will centralize the nation's efforts to respond to the COVID-19 threat to its 28,000 citizens.
On March 18, Norris signed an executive order stating that all the nation's non-essential programs will be closed, non-essential employees are relieved of their work duties with pay and non-essential employees may be detailed to essential employees, as needed, to assist in the efforts of COVID-19. This order will remain in effect until April 23.
The tribe also announced the temporary suspension of all gaming operations starting March 18. The closure will impact all four Desert Diamond Casinos near Tucson, Sahuarita, Why (Ajo), and the West Valley, in Glendale.
“In this unprecedented time, it is our duty to protect the community and collective action is needed to slow this virus,' Norris said in a press release.
'I commend the other tribal casinos who are also making tough decisions for their own communities as well,' he added. 'It is in moments like these that our communities must rise to the challenge by relying on the shared values of compassion, collaboration, and generosity that have inspired us for generations.”
Pascua Yaqui
The Pascua Yaqui Tribe, which has a community and a satellite tribal office in Guadalupe, declared a state of emergency March 19 in response to COVID-19.
The tribe formed an Incident Command System so that all the information coming in about COVID-19 is funneled through a central source so it's accurate and up to date.
“The ICS is comprised of representatives from police, fire, health, IT, communications, among others, who have been authorized by Tribal Council to communicate directly to the community information regarding COVID-19,” said Chairman Robert Valencia in a press release.
The emergency declaration is in addition to the travel restrictions and other preventative measures set in place for the Pascua Yaqui tribal communities. The tribe issued its first health advisory January 30, then travel restrictions March 6 with expanded tribal restrictions March 12.
“It is critically important that we do what we can to protect our community members, especially our most vulnerable members,” Valencia said.
The tribe also ceased all operations at Casino Del Sol from March 18 until April 13.
Tonto Apache Tribe
The Tonto Apache Tribal Council declared a state of emergency March 18.
All tribal enterprises will be closed as of March 19 for a minimum of two weeks. This includes the tribal government and Mazatzal Hotel & Casino.
The hotel and casino made the announcement on Facebook, indicating that all tribal employees will be on paid leave.
'As one of the largest employers in Payson, we felt it was in the best interests of our employees to be proactive and close our tribal enterprises. We must do our part to prevent the spread of this disease,' Chairwoman Jeri DeCola said on her Facebook page.
White Mountain Apache
The White Mountain Apache Nation declared a state of emergency March 19 in response to COVID-19, and the tribe's emergency management group has been activated to manage the public health threat.
There have been no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the White Mountain Apache community, according to the declaration.
The tribe also announced the temporary suspension of gaming operations at Hon-Dah Resort and Casino, effective March 20.
'Out of an abundance of caution; out of concern for Hon-Dah's employees and guests; and in solidarity with local communities and our sister tribes, the Tribal Council finds that temporarily suspending gaming operations at Hon-Dah is in the best interests of the tribe and its members,' Chairwoman Gwendena Lee-Gatewood said in a press release.
Yavapai-Apache Nation
The Yavapai-Apache Nation announced Thursday that the tribal government will be shut down and all tribal employees should not report to work Friday.
The announcement stated that 'these steps are taking place to ensure the safety of the YAN community and all employees.'
In a statement from Yavapai-Apache Chairman Jon Huey, all employees will work from home until at least March 27.
The Yavapai-Apache Nation is also temporarily closing the nation's casino and hotel operations, effective March 18.
'As a people, we have historically faced extremely difficult times and were always able to call upon our inner strength to support ourselves and our families,' Huey said in his statement. 'Together we will do what needs to be done to face the threat and protect our Nation for the brighter days that are surely ahead.'
Havasupai Tribe
The Havasupai Tribe declared a state of emergency March 20. A resolution by the tribal council blocked most travel into the village of Supai, which sits on the floor of the Grand Canyon.
The declaration came five days after the council suspended visits to Havasupai Falls, the world-famous tourist destination that provides the overwhelming majority of the tribe's operating budget. It authorized the tribe to seek federal funding to cover what is expected to be a gaping hole in the tribe's finances.
About 75% of jobs on the Havasupai reservation are based on tourism. The tribe estimates that a 30-day closure of its tourism office and lodge would cut its annual revenue by 7% .
The declaration also sealed off the village of Supai, which is accessible only by helicopter or a hike down the canyon. The tribe will allow only essential personnel into the community, naming employees of the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Indian Health Service as examples.
“With an already limited access point, any possible closures or restrictions on movement will wreak havoc on the health, safety, and welfare of Havasupai Tribal Members if it interrupts the flow of food, cleaning, and medical supplies to the Havasupai Reservation,” Havasupai Tribe chairwoman Eva Kissoon said in a statement.
About 426 people live in Supai. Many of them, the declaration notes, are diabetic, asthmatic or have otherwise weakened immune systems.
There is no hospital in Supai. The community is served by a single clinic, which has one physician and two nurses. The declaration notes that there is almost no flu medicine on the entire reservation.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
Reach the reporter at debra.krol@AZCentral.com or at 602-444-8490. Follow her on Twitter at @debkrol.
Reporter Shondiin Silversmith covers Indigenous people and communities in Arizona. Reach her at ssilversmi@arizonarepublic.com and follow her Twitter @DiinSilversmith.
Republic reporter Alden Woods contributed to this story.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Coronavirus in Arizona: Several tribes declare a state of emergency, many shut down gaming