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Posted on February 20, 2026

It�s one of the primary businesses in the area

Good Mercedes Benz is on display for the the Chumash Casino on the Santa Ynez Valley, had and you can operated by the Chumash Indian tribe. (Spencer Weiner / LAT)

Kenny Kahn. a member of the fresh Santa Neon54 Casino Ynez Band of Chumash Indians Business Panel, or other group members commemorate the opening of the the brand new casino that have an exclusive class. Their brand new hotel could be situated in the future. (Spencer Weiner / LAT)

Chumash Indians acceptance patrons adopting the midnight starting of tribe’s this new Chumash Gambling enterprise. The fresh new reservation close Solvang is actually increasing significantly this current year. (Spencer Weiner / LAT)

Benjie Wyatt, twenty-eight, washes their brand new Ford vehicle outside their family members’ family to the Santa Ynez Indian Reservation near Solvang, California. The newest Chumash Gambling establishment has brought the new tribe the fresh success. (Spencer Weiner / LAT)

Adelina Alva Padilla is the spiritual commander of the Santa Ynez gang of Chumash Indians. The fresh new tribe is actually honoring 100 numerous years of federal detection in 2010 which can be starting a different sort of local casino. (Spencer Weiner / LAT)

President Vincent Armenta, new Santa Ynez Chumash tribe Chief affiliate, obtained an effective �thank you’ award to own a large donation with the Santa Barbara State Fire Agency if you’re within group’s Annual People Identification Luncheon. (Spencer Weiner / LAT)

Chumash Senior, Eva Pagaling, 79, snap that have portrait off their particular grandmother, Florencia Armenta, the tight Chumash matriarch whom passed away inside 1982 within age ninety. (Spencer Weiner / LAT)

An enthusiastic ariel glance at the Chumash Gambling enterprise and you will salon resorts, a primary exposure next to the town of Santa Ynez. (Spencer Weiner / LAT)

Gracie Pacheco is an elderly regarding the Santa Ynez tribe off Chumash Indians. (Spencer Weiner / LAT) From the Glenn F.

SANTA YNEZ, Calif. — Growing upon brand new scheduling, Kenneth Kahn waited in accordance with his mom to possess brick mozzarella cheese, powder whole milk and other bodies excessive eating. The guy doesn’t have a degree otherwise a having to pay job.

But really during the twenty seven, he’s obtained far more riches than simply of numerous functioning Americans can find inside the an existence. Every month, Kahn receives an identify nearly $thirty,000 — his express away from winnings regarding the Chumash Casino Hotel.

Strewn inside the grass for the scheduling listed below are a gold Diversity Rover, one or two oversized trucks, a premier-pushed speedboat and you can a couple of every-terrain auto. The guy possesses a holiday home during the River Tahoe and you will has just paid down $1.six mil to possess a five-acre property in the Santa Ynez.

�Anybody ask me easily believe We deserve they,� states Kahn, his glossy, dark tresses neatly included in the an effective ponytail.

Some tribal leaders proper care that monthly gambling enterprise evaluate is simply a separate sorts of dependency, given that corrosive once the interests payments of old

�Not more than my personal ancestors,� try his fundamental react. �I really don’t care exactly how many casinos we create,� he says. �We are able to never ever overcome the thing that was taken from our very own ancestors.�

To have a lot of going back two years, the Chumash off Santa Ynez lived in anonymity and you will abject poverty. Once the recently given that 1960s, scheduling home lacked running liquids, power and you can cell phone provider. About ten years ago, some Chumash nevertheless made use of interests and you can donated clothes.

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As 2000, whenever Ca voters supplied Native American tribes the fresh private directly to offer Vegas-style betting, each one of the 153 people in the Santa Ynez ring have acquired over $one million when you look at the casino money.

The new torrent of cash have triggered a beneficial jarring sales on the lifetime of the latest Chumash. It offers provided monetary cover and a beneficial bounty off issue merchandise. It’s got enabled the newest Chumash to displace its language and you may train their children in the tribe’s ancient traditions.