The announcement yesterday that the Agua Caliente Tribe is building a parking structure in downtown Palm Springs has thankfully generated little if no comment. This stands in marked contrast to the hysteria that occurred when the tribe tore down the Spa Hotel. The outcry from the modernist movement in town was such that cats from Beaumont to Blythe fled in terror.
Much of that can attributed to the fact that many of the newer residents of Palm Springs have no idea that Palm Springs sits partially on an Indian Reservation. Since a lot of the residents are retired they get active in city affairs. While that is to be commended, it would be more helpful if people would actually learn local issues. The "I have been coming to the desert for years, or I have owned a home here for years", statements irk me.In reality that makes one a tourist or a part time resident.
The city has very little control over tribal land. The billboards one sees on Dinah Shore Drive or on Gene Autry Way are on tribal lands. The city has no jurisdiction on these parcels. That is just a one example of some of the nuances in Palm Springs.
In the past few years, the relationship between the tribe and the city deteriorated. Regardless of who was at fault, it is extremely important that this not occur again. For Palm Springs to succeed, the city and tribe must be on the same page. Tribal rights must be respected. The tribe was here long before the city and will remain long after.
Steve Kelly can be reached at skelly@rrbroadcasting.com or followed @skelly
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