Tachi Palace
History
The 1,100-seat Southgate Bingo Palace was built for $1 million by Paland, Inc. of Dallas, and opened on November 4, 1983. Within seven months, the construction costs had been recouped, and payments to tribal members began.
By 1986, when a $750,000 renovation was completed to make Southgate the "most luxurious bingo hall in the state", the hall was being operated by British-American Bingo, Inc., which received 45% of revenues, with the remainder going to the tribe. Tribal members also made up 20% of the hall's workforce. Revenues had grown to $5.3 million in 1987. The tribe put the money toward items including youth recreation programs, college scholarships and construction of homes.
In 1994, the tribe took over operation of the bingo hall and renamed it Palace Indian Gaming Center. The tribe soon added slot machines, which grew in number to 385 as of 1997, despite ongoing efforts by the state to block them. In 2005, a major expansion was opened, and it was renamed as Tachi Palace.
The following year, a 7-story, 255-room hotel was opened on the property. The hotel is semi-circular, with plans for a second phase of construction to complete the circle.
Sporting events
World Extreme Cagefighting hosted 22 mixed martial arts events at Tachi Palace, until it was bought in 2006 by Zuffa, the parent company of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, and moved its events to Las Vegas. The casino's entertainment director, Christian Printup, then created a new MMA promotion, Palace Fighting Championship. After Printup departed in 2009, the casino formed a new promotion, Tachi Palace Fights, in conjunction with Gladiator Challenge. The tribal council decided to discontinue mixed martial arts events at the casino in December 2012, but reversed its decision in March 2013, and TPF fights resumed.
The cancelled UFC 249 was to have been held at Tachi Palace.
Tachi Palace has also hosted many boxing events in association with promoter Goossen-Tutor, and became especially known for its women's boxing bouts.
References
- ^ Payton, Ken (March 14, 1985). "Big-time Indian bingo slow getting started". Sacramento Bee. via NewsBank. Retrieved 2012-05-28. (subscription required)
- ^ Dudley, Anne (June 5, 1986). "Bingo jobs help family, but problems remain". Fresno Bee. via NewsBank. Retrieved 2012-05-28. (subscription required)
- ^ "Renovated bingo hall will celebrate Saturday". Fresno Bee. via NewsBank. March 5, 1987. Retrieved 2012-05-29. (subscription required)
- ^ Dudley, Anne (August 10, 1986). "Indians angered by attempts to regulate bingo". Fresno Bee. via NewsBank. Retrieved 2012-05-28. (subscription required)
- ^ Doyle, Michael (September 8, 1988). "Indians in high-stakes battle". Fresno Bee. via NewsBank. Retrieved 2012-05-29. (subscription required)
- ^ Nax, Sanford (June 29, 1993). "Tribe uses bingo profits to ease housing problems". Fresno Bee. via NewsBank. Retrieved 2012-05-29. (subscription required)
- ^ "Tachi Yokut History: Santa Rosa Rancheria". Tachi Yokut Tribe. Retrieved 2012-05-29.
- ^ Correa, Tracy (January 26, 1997). "Tachi Indians hedge their bets". Fresno Bee. via NewsBank. Retrieved 2012-05-29. (subscription required)
- ^ Martinez, Martha (October 19, 2005). "Casino grows: Latest expansion phase opens at Tachi Palace". Hanford Sentinel. via NewsBank. Retrieved 2012-05-28. (subscription required)
- ^ "Tachi Hotel opens with style & fanfare". Lemoore Advance. via NewsBank. November 9, 2006. Retrieved 2012-05-30. (subscription required)
- ^ Giannandrea, Nick (January 19, 2007). "Card a knockout at first blush". Fresno Bee. via NewsBank. Retrieved 2012-05-30. (subscription required)
- ^ Martin, Todd (December 12, 2007). "Underdog WEC promotion an outfit on the rise". CBS Sports. Retrieved 2012-05-30.
- ^ Giannandrea, Nick (January 18, 2007). "A brawl by any other title". Fresno Bee. via NewsBank. Retrieved 2012-05-30. (subscription required)
- ^ de Give, Richard (September 17, 2009). "MMA fights back at Tachi Palace". Hanford Sentinel. Retrieved 2012-05-30.
- ^ Whitman, Mike (December 8, 2012). "Tachi Palace update: TPF matchmaker confirms casino's decision to discontinue events". Sherdog. Retrieved 2012-12-09.
- ^ Whitman, Mike (March 29, 2013). "Tribal council reverses decision, Tachi Palace Fights to return in August". Sherdog. Retrieved 2017-11-06.
- ^ "Dana White cancels UFC 249 fight card after request from network executives". CBSSports.com. April 9, 2020.
- ^ Giannandrea, Nick (July 24, 2009). "Tachi Palace, promoter cut ties". Fresno Bee. via NewsBank.
- ^ Giannandrea, Nick (February 22, 2007). "Female fighters continue to pump up Palace". Fresno Bee. via NewsBank.