The Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians is a federally recognized sovereign Tribal Nation with roots reaching back to 1895, when its reservation was established at the Oasis of Mara in Twentynine Palms, California. The reservation was expanded in 1979 to include land in Coachella. The Tribe is governed by an elected Tribal Council and draws on ancestral Chemehuevi heritage, with a stated commitment to preserving cultural heritage and sacred lands.
To fund growth and support its members, the Tribe operates a portfolio of business enterprises. These include two casinos in Southern California, Spotlight 29 Casino and Tortoise Rock Casino, alongside travel centers, cannabis operations and hospitality ventures. Together the tribal enterprises employ more than 1,200 people. The organisation's activities sit across gaming and casinos, hospitality, travel-center and convenience retail, cannabis, tourism, and economic development and community philanthropy.
Geographic presence centres on Southern California, including Twentynine Palms, Coachella and the Joshua Tree National Park area, with further reach into California, Arizona, Utah and Southern Nevada. The Tribe describes its purpose as building opportunities for growth and prosperity for future generations, supporting local communities through philanthropy, and protecting the California desert environment, including sacred sites within Joshua Tree National Park.
