Through Higher Education
A history of the Sycuan Institute on Tribal Gaming at SDSU
By Dr . Kate Spilde
The Sycuan Institute on Tribal Gaming ( SITG ) was established in the L . Robert Payne School of Hospitality and Tourism Management ( HTM ) at San Diego State University ( SDSU ) by the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation in 2006 for two primary purposes .
First , the Sycuan Band created the SITG to assure quality educational opportunities on tribal government gaming and to support professional development for gaming employees who wanted a career in the thriving tribal gaming industry . At that time , Sycuan leadership was disturbed that there were a number of training courses around the country of dubious quality that were being presented by people unfamiliar with what differentiated tribal government gaming from other industry segments .
This lack of access to quality programs meant that employees of tribal gaming facilities were likely to have been trained in a “ Las Vegas model ” of casino operations and regulation or not trained at all . The Sycuan Band decided to take the lead in order to maintain a credible and professional presence for tribal government gaming , ultimately benefiting employees , customers and the industry as a whole .
Secondly , the Sycuan Band was interested in creating a research center that would focus on the social and economic impacts of the tribal gaming industry , including its effects on tribal and non-tribal communities , governments , employees and guests . By supporting the creation of a clearinghouse on independent academic research about tribal government gaming , the Sycuan Band committed to collaborating , funding and promoting the academic research produced and supported by the SITG .
The institute ’ s first public event was held in San Diego in April 2008 , at the annual meeting of the National Indian Gaming Association ( NIGA ) to evaluate and honor the first 20 years of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act ( IGRA ).
The SITG has pursued three mandates based upon feedback from that first event : 1 ) developing and offering the nation ’ s first four-year degree program ( B . S . in Hospitality and Tourism Management ) in tribal casino operations management ; 2 ) producing and supporting academic research on tribal gaming ; and 3 ) informing the public policy debate around tribal government gaming and its impacts on individuals and communities .
With the support of our gaming industry partners , the institute is
RLNC President Dan King , American Indian Studies Chair David Kamper and Endowed Chair of the Sycuan Institute on Tribal Gaming Dr . Katherine Spilde signing the MOU on campus at SDSU
demonstrating a shared commitment to the long-term goal of developing a professional class of gaming experts who will enhance the tribal government gaming industry across the United States .
The Sycuan Institute at Present
San Diego County is home to 17 federally recognized tribal governments and hosts 10 tribal gaming facilities with a range of amenities . Therefore , the SITG has a unique position in the contemporary gaming and educational environment . Because of our location , the SITG , through its relationship with the Sycuan Band , other local tribes and the tribal government gaming industry , has access to world-class tribal and casino staff , lawyers and lobbyists , marketing and public relations experts , gaming regulators , gaming commissioners and other experts .
This local pool of talent provides a wealth of knowledge from an experiential , rather than simply academic , perspective . The SITG ’ s relationship with SDSU , and its location in the HTM Program in particular , provides additional access to academic experts and industry leaders in
22 TRIBAL GOVERNMENT GAMING 2023