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California Tribe Credits Casino with Fortune

"She referred to a cycle of government hand-outs supplying inferior health care, housing and education to a dependent people. She talked instead about restoring pride to the 40 people who make up her tribe, a group of people who used to be scattered across several surrounding counties, lacking any common goal or ambition.

"…She is now one of the richest women in Yolo County. Lorenzo spoke to The Enterprise in the skybox conference room overlooking the busy floor of the Cache Creek Indian Bingo & Casino in Brooks.

"She and her public relations spokesman, Doug Elmets, absolutely refused to talk about how much the casino makes.

"…She said the tribe was determined to make the business of entertainment a success. She was on her hands and knees helping to tack down carpet and put chairs in place in between training sessions for running bingo games.

"…Less than 10 years later, she was elected tribal chairperson to run both the tribal government and the tribe's business. The casino had been badly mismanaged in its early years and Lorenzo was called upon to straighten it out. She stepped into a job she thought would only be temporary.

"…Lorenzo has been the center of attention lately, much of it unfavorable, as the casino began a controversial expansion. A 200-room hotel will be built into the hillside virtually on top of the existing casino.

"…But Lorenzo, eager to be a good neighbor and not kill the golden goose, sat down with county officials and agreed to a plan of mitigations that consists mainly of giving the county between $80 million and $100 million -- she isn't even sure how much -- over the next 18 or so years…"

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