A new sports, tourism and retail complex is officially going forward on tribal land in southwest Utah.
The Shivwits Band of Paiutes and Black Desert Resort announced a business partnership on Thursday. Together, the tribe and resort will manage a venture that includes golf courses, a youth sports complex, shopping, dining, a hotel and event spaces, according to a news release.
“This collaboration supports our goal of creating long-term ventures and is built on mutual respect and a shared vision,” said Tina Gonzales, chairperson of the Shivwits Band of Paiutes, in a statement. “We are excited to be a co-steward in this project, ensuring that our heritage and values are woven into every aspect of the development.”
The project is expected to create over 135 jobs for members of the Shivwits Band in construction, hospitality and sports industries, according to the release. Reef Capital, the developer of this project and Black Desert Resort, will also provide funding for scholarships for tribal members.
“This partnership will not only bring significant economic growth but will also ensure the preservation of our legacy for generations to come,” Gonzales said.
The news release did not include specifics about what the development will include, nor what co-management between the band and resort will entail. But an internal document that was put on the band’s website earlier this year showed that the venture may include up to four golf courses, a cultural history museum and an airfield.
The development will come up to the border of the reservation and the city of Ivins, according to Ivins Mayor Chris Hart. Some of his residents, particularly those nearest to the development, may have concerns about lighting and water use as Washington County experiences one of its driest years on record. Many, not only in Ivins but across the county, may see the project as “a frivolous use of a limited resource and precious resource in the county,” he said.
Project proponents insisted the development will sustainably manage water resources, though. Patrick Manning, the director of Black Desert Resort, said the project “stands as a model of responsible development,” in the Thursday news release.
The golf courses and sports fields will rely solely on non-potable or reuse water sourced from the Shivwits Band’s existing water resources, according to the release.
“I would say there are not really other great ways to use [reuse water],” Cameron EchoHawk, economic development representative for the band, told The Tribune earlier this year. “The band’s more valuable water rights would be untouched by the project.”
Since a 2001 water rights settlement, St. George must make available 2,000 acre-feet of reuse water to the band each year. In total, the band has rights to 4,000 acre-feet of water annually, the rest coming from groundwater, on-reservation springs and the Santa Clara River system.
For the Shivwits Band, the partnership may also provide a needed economic development opportunity. “Black Desert would be monetizing their water resource and turning it into a real income stream for the members of the band, which is I’m sure why they eventually decided to accept some version of the offer,” said Hart.
In 2022, the tribe conducted an economic development survey and respondents expressed “overwhelming support” for new job opportunities on the reservation, according to a report. Over 80% of respondents said the tribe should support employment in the service industry such as restaurants and hospitality.
Neither Gonzalez nor Manning immediately responded to requests for comment Thursday.
Roughly six months ago, Hart attended a presentation on the possible development from Black Desert. From that meeting, Hart said he gathered that Black Desert “determined that they need to multiply their amenities, particularly their golf amenity … because of the size of the resort and the available amenities in the county.”
Black Desert Resort is a $2 billion development that spans 600 acres in Ivins near the Shivwits Reservation. It includes a golf course, 447 rooms, seven dining areas and a 15,000 square-foot spa. Eventually it will also include a water park and more rooms and dining options, according to the news release.
This new development with the Shivwits Band may provide additional recreational, dining and shopping opportunities for the tourists who stay at the mega resort.