(November 13, 2026)California Native American Tribes contribute $26.5 billion to the economy (Indian Gaming Association) with approximately 70% of that revenue from casinos. The Chemehuevi Indian Tribe is proposing a different approach to support economic growth.
The Chemehuevi Indian Tribe, located on the California side of Lake Havasu, seeks to undergo a 50-year transformation to bring new life to a reservation rooted in history. Working with architecture and planning firm, AO, the Chemehuevi Reservation proposed design guidelines to deliver a community that drives tourism, improves well-being, creates jobs and encourages tribal members to launch businesses while preserving native land.
Rooting Novelty With Tradition:
The overarching goal of the Chemehuevi project is to bring a new community to the 34,000-acre reservation while honoring indigenous roots. To achieve this, the master plan leveraged inspiration from three key pillars: social, physical, and emotional wellbeing. Each pillar aligns with the tribe’s values; allowing everyone to prosper from the land while feeding curiosity about cultural traditions. The master plan divides the site into distinct zones, using the land’s topography to shape a community-focused development in the north and expand hospitality and recreational offerings in the south.
- Zone A – The Echo (north, west): Located within the Chemehuevi Mountains, this zone aims to preserve the area’s natural landscape, ecosystems and culture while aligning with the desert climate. While much of the land will be conserved, other developments planned for this zone include medical office buildings, an industrial factory, improvements to Chemehuevi Airport, and an emergency evacuation site.
- Zone B – The Basin (central, north): Located on the lower basin of Lake Havasu, this zone became the original foundation for tribal settlement. Now, it’s proposed to serve as the base for much of the upcoming development. Key features of this zone will form a downtown district with cultural and heritage spaces, housing, education, civic and government buildings, and sports and recreation destinations. At its heart, a new town center can organize the land in concentric circles inspired by the Chemehuevi Tribe’s woven basket traditions.
- Zone C – The Wash (throughout): This zone acts as functional support throughout the reservation by blending drought-tolerant native plants with tree canopies to block stormwater runoff and connect open spaces. Notable elements in this section include respite parks and event lawns.
- Zone D – The Shore (southern): As this zone is right along Lake Havasu, increasing tourism is proposed to be a main priority. The master plan includes transforming an old casino into a yacht club and developing new restaurants, bars and hotels along the marina.
- Master plan guide:
Restoring Agriculture + Preserving Land:
Reestablishing agriculture is a critical necessity for the Chemehuevi Indian Tribe. Original farmlands along the shores of Lake Havasu were covered by a dam, making existing soil difficult to cultivate. To solve this problem, the plan proposes restoring acres approximately 2,000 acres in the northern and western portions of the town center, with the terrain guiding plans to support agriculture, renewable energy, and water storage.
The master plan also identifies sacred sites, ancestral rock art, steep mountain terrain and natural washes for protection and limited development. Preserving these areas will help ensure future generations can connect with and learn about their cultural heritage.
Improving Transportation:
Improving transportation access is a key component of the master plan. The remote reservation can be difficult to reach by car, with the nearest interstate about 40 miles away. Undertreated local roads contribute to unsafe driving conditions and accidents. Access by boat is also limited as the ferry only serves English Village Landing on the eastern side of the lake.
The master plan proposes to ameliorate transportation to the reservation and surrounding areas.
- Driving: New improvements at the intersection of US Highway Route 95 and Lake Havasu Road is set to bring identity to the entrance of the reservation while making roads safer.
- Boating: Constructing additional marinas aims to increase boat traffic along the marina and allow for a new north-south ferry route to be implemented.
- Air travel: Chemehuevi Valley Airport can be expanded beyond its current operations to accommodate additional private, commercial and freight flights and enhance regional connectivity.
Increasing Education Opportunities:
Another central goal of the master plan is to increase access to education opportunities. Currently, students who live on the reservation need to travel 45 minutes by bus to school on desert roads. The proposed plan will add a kindergarten through sixth grade campus and a junior high school campus on the reservation. Schools will be walking distance from residential areas, providing convenience for students that don’t own cars.
Education opportunities are designed to go beyond the classroom. As the Chemehuevi Indian Tribe is passionate about giving back to the community, these new spaces can create more opportunity for mentorship and support apprenticeships at local businesses.
Encouraging Tourism to the California side of Lake Havasu:
Increasing tourism on the western shorelines of the lake is paramount for the master plan. Most resorts and activities are on the Arizona side of Lake Havasu, and tourism is a significant driver of revenue as the region receives 1.7 million visitors annually (Havasu News). With the development of the mixed-use hospitality properties on the California side, it will provide a new destination for tourists to explore.
Creating Economic Opportunities for Tribal Members:
Beyond attracting visitors and new development, the master plan aims to create opportunities for Chemehuevi tribal members to return home, build businesses and participate in the reservation’s economic growth.
By introducing commercial, hospitality and recreational developments, the plan proposes opportunities for tribal members to start their own businesses and access jobs closer to home. Leading to a boost in the economy while preserving and growing the Chemehuevi’s cultural traditions.
Introducing New Living Communities:
Limited living spaces and job opportunities have driven tribal members away from the reservation. Diverse living options will encourage members and others to live on the reservation, ranging from short-term rentals for seasonal workers to permanent residences for multigenerational families.
Living options include:
- Tribal rental housing
- Tribal housing for sale
- Tribal affordable housing
- Ranchettes
- Multi-generational housing clusters in higher elevations, designed to keep extended families close
For all housing developments, the Tribe would retain ownership of the land, with the potential for outside commercial developers to build leased parcels.
Construction of the first project on the reservation is expected to start in 2027.