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Indian casinos team up with local arts organizations,
and both profit from the arrangement
November 12, 2006
By Preston Turegano ARTS WRITER • Courtesy of SignOnSanDiego.com
Their logos are already a common presence at the San Diego Padres games and the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, and even on the Web site of a local classic rock radio station.
Now, San Diego County's Indian gaming casinos are increasingly leaving their mark on San Diego arts institutions.
The latest recipient: Broadway/San Diego, which opens “Plaid Tidings” Friday at the Spreckels Theatre. The production's “local spotlight partner” is Sycuan Resort & Casino.
In acknowledgment of the casino's gift of at least $10,000, Sycuan's logo is next to the show's synopsis on Broadway/San Diego's Web site.
“We're thrilled with their support, which is a first for us,” said Joe Kobryner, vice president of Broadway/San Diego's parent company, the New York-based Nederlander Organization.
“To me, it says they like being involved with the holiday version of a San Diego theater tradition ('Forever Plaid'), which got its West Coast start at the Old Globe Theatre in the 1990s.”
Sycuan has also made an impression on the Old Globe, which received $15,000 from the casino for its annual fund this year, and the San Diego Opera. The opera named Sycuan the 2007 “season sponsor” in exchange for a six-figure gift (neither the opera nor the casino would disclose the exact amount).
“Six years ago, Indian gaming casino philanthropic support was conservative,” said Michael Nilsen, a spokesman for the Alexandria, Va.-based Association of Fundraising Professionals. “My (recent) talks with fundraisers gives me the sense that it's increased, particularly in areas that are close to Indian gaming casinos.”
California has 108 Indian tribes, of which 56 operate casinos that rake in hundreds of millions of dollars annually. With eight tribal casinos, San Diego County is regarded as the gaming casino capital of California.
Sycuan tribal chairman Daniel J. Tucker said Sycuan extends financial support to hundreds of arts, culture and other community organizations. “As the owner of a major business in the San Diego region, the tribe believes that supporting charitable and civic organizations in our community is both an honor and a responsibility. Thanks to the success of our business operations, we are fortunate to be able to give something back to the community.”
Viejas, which contributes toward the San Diego Symphony's Summer Pops season (as does Sycuan), has for many years “pursued opportunities to expose the community to the tribe's culture and traditions,” said Bob Scheid, spokesman for the Viejas band of Kumeyaay Indians.
“At the same time, the tribe is committed to fostering cultural diversity in the San Diego County area by supporting a wide range of art and cultural organizations and institutions.”
Opera Angel
Among county arts groups, San Diego Opera and San Diego Symphony currently receive the most Indian gaming casino support.
Sycuan is a San Diego Opera “Bravissimo Angel Patrons/$100,000 and above” donor and a member of the opera's “Corporate Council,” providing in-kind support such as goods or services.
“If we did not have support such as this (Sycuan's), our task would be made immensely more difficult and our artistic standard may suffer,” said San Diego Opera general director Ian Campbell. “Each year, we must raise nearly $17 million in revenue, half of which comes from contributions.”
As government support of the arts dwindles, and securing corporate support and foundation grants becomes increasingly competitive, arts institutions have welcomed new sources of contributed dollars. Up until 2004, an association of Audi dealers was the San Diego Opera season sponsor. After being approached by the opera, Sycuan became season sponsor last year.
“We encourage local charities and organizations to contact us with suggestions for how Sycuan can support worthy causes and events,” said Tucker, the tribal chairman.
He said decisions to support local charities, organizations and events are made by an internal committee of Sycuan professional staff, with guidance from the Tribal Council.
While the opera and Sycuan will not say exactly how much money the casino/tribe is contributing, a ticket-pricing formula explained by Campbell suggests Sycuan's support is far greater than $100,000.
The Civic Theatre has almost 3,000 seats, but the opera uses just 2,885 for each of its performances (22 next season). In 2007, opera ticket prices will range from $27 to $152, with $182 as the top price on opening nights.
“The true cost of a Saturday night orchestra level ticket here next season is around $364,” Campbell said. “The ticket buyer pays $182 for his seat and Sycuan is paying a significant portion of the other $182, thereby subsidizing a great deal of the expense of putting on the performance. This subsidy applies to all ticket buyers at all price levels.”
Sycuan marketing director Allan Krantz sits on the opera board, and Sycuan's logo and “Minutes Away, Miles Apart” slogan are ubiquitous at the opera, appearing on the company's Web site, season brochure and a “Wheel of Fortune” outside the Civic Theatre where during performances opera patrons can win such Sycuan-labeled things as ballpoint pens, Teddy bears, T-shirts and coffee mugs.
“As part of our regular corporate sponsorship program, we offer displays and placement of logos on our materials to all major donors,” Campbell said.
Marketing Value
Tucker acknowledged there is “some marketing value” to the sponsorships Sycuan provides.
“Just like any other business that sponsors organizations and special events, we receive the marketing value from exposure in advertising, our logo at events and other marketing exposure provided by organizations,” he said.
Like the opera, the San Diego Symphony acknowledges Sycuan in the form of logos, signs and ads. That's in appreciation of a “six-figure” sponsorship, said symphony executive director Edward B. “Ward” Gill.
“This (support) allows us to offer the Summer Pops at the highest quality level,” he said.
Viejas – via its subsidiary Viejas Entertainment – provides construction support for the orchestra's summer venue (at the Port District-owned Embarcadero Marina Park South) in exchange for use of the facility for Viejas Entertainment's Bayside concerts, Gill said.
Sycuan general manager, Steve Penhall, who is a San Diego Symphony board member, initiated the symphony-Sycuan relationship.
“When Steve was moving to San Diego several years ago (from New Mexico), he suggested to the administration of the New Mexico Symphony that it should contact the San Diego Symphony and have San Diego Symphony contact him,” Gill said.
As an arts institution doing business with two gaming casinos, the symphony hasn't had to deal with negative perceptions of gambling.
“Patrons understand that this type of support provides the means to keep the music and the Summer Pops experience alive,” Gill said. “We have found that patrons very much appreciate this commitment.”
Campbell said San Diego Opera has received just one e-mail expressing concern over the company's acceptance of casino/tribe money.
“The truth is that we have been inundated with favorable feedback from our patrons, who appreciate the generosity of Sycuan,” he said.
Pursuing Support
Aware of increasing Indian gaming casino philanthropy, some arts organizations that have never received such dollars are pursuing casino support.
La Jolla Playhouse spokeswoman Jill McIntyre said the Playhouse is approaching Sycuan and Viejas “because they are good corporate citizens who clearly care about San Diego and its nonprofits.”
San Diego Museum of Art director Derrick Cartwright said his museum has begun to explore relationships with various tribal leaders.
“I would welcome this (casino) support if it matched up with our own programmatic efforts to develop new programs and to serve this community better, as well as met the gaming community's own self-stated goals for their philanthropy,” he said.
For the most part, gaming casino support of local museums and dance companies has been spotty.
This year, Barona gave the Museum of Man in Balboa Park $10,000 to support the annual Indian Fair. In 2001, Viejas supported the Museum of Photographic Arts' Vintage Weekend fundraiser with $1,500, and the museum's “Galinson Gala” in 1999 with $5,000.
While MoPA is not currently getting any money from Indian casinos, “We would be happy to have participation from various Indian casinos to support our exhibitions and programming,” said museum spokeswoman Candice Eley. “We would (almost) never turn down support from any willing funder.”
The Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego received $5,000 from Sycuan to sponsor the museum's 2005 Monte Carlo fundraiser. The casino/tribe also purchased a $10,000 table at that event. Sycuan sponsored Monte Carlo in 1999 with $5,000, in 1998 with $7,500 and in 1997 with $10,000.
California Ballet Company apparently is the only dance troupe here that gets casino support. Since 2004, its production of “The Nutcracker” has been supported by $10,000 annually from Sycuan.
“Their gift . . . contributes to our free ticketing program,” said California Ballet director Maxine Mahon. “We donate tickets to hundreds of underserved schoolchildren and their families. We value our relationship with Sycuan. Together, we are enhancing dance arts performances, and making classical ballet available to many who would be otherwise unable to attend our productions.”
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CONTACTS: |
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Adam Day
Sycuan
619-994-4855 |
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