Cabazon Band of Mission Indians mourn death of 'Father of Native American Gaming'

The former chairman of the Cabazon Band of Mission Indians, whose mid-1980s fight to keep Riverside County from shutting down his tribe's high-stakes bingo and poker operations resulted in a landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling credited with establishing the Native American gaming industry and redefining the sovereignty of tribal lands, has died.

John Alexander James, according to a news release from his Indio-based tribe, died "peacefully among family and friends" Saturday, April 21. He was 87.

“Chairman James set the bar for all tribal leaders," current Tribal Chairman Doug Welmas said. "His passing is not only a loss for Cabazon, but for all tribal nations. Chairman’s service to his country, to his people and to his family is a legacy that we all hope to emulate and to continue to live up to.”

Born in 1931, James was a Korean War Army veteran who served in the “Wolfhounds” 27th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. He received two Bronze Stars and was recognized by President Richard Nixon as an honorary Navajo Code Talker.

In 1977, he became secretary/treasurer of the Cabazon Band of Mission Indians.

As James' involvement in tribal government grew, officials said, he recognized that tribes needed financial self-sufficiency. He believed high-stakes bingo and poker were a means to help tribes reach that goal. For this, tribal officials said, he was called "the Father of Native American Gaming."

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In 1986, the Cabazon Band, along with the Morongo Band of Mission Indians, fought back after county officials contended that the tribes' bingo and poker operations, which were located on reservation land, violated California state criminal law.

However, the tribes argued that public gambling on their lands was not a violation of California criminal law since gambling -- at that time -- was only regulated under California's civil laws. In addition, the tribes argued that this meant the state had no criminal jurisdiction over any form of gambling on their lands.

In 1987, the Supreme Court issued a 6-3 decision siding with the Cabazon and Morongo tribes. In the years that followed, Native American gaming on tribal lands grew exponentially across the country.

"He was instrumental in guiding the tribe as it made its way through the court system," tribe officials said, adding that James was elected tribal chairman in 1989.

He served in that position for more than 20 years.

Officials added he was "a leader who persevered through many challenges and was often victorious, all while fighting for the rights of his people."

Besides the honors he received while serving in the military, James was awarded the National Indian Gaming Association’s John Kieffer Sovereignty Award, recognizing his work toward the protection of American Indian sovereign rights.

In 2008, he received the Pathbreakers Award from the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act Conference, which recognized his efforts to restore tribal self-sufficiency and respect for tribal sovereignty.

He was also honored with a plaque in 2016 at Veterans Memorial Park in Coachella.

The Cabazon tribe now owns and operates the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, a 250-room hotel

It features numerous restaurants and a golf course. Its casino offers patrons a number of gambling options including more than 1,900 gaming machines, 40 poker and other game tables and bingo. It also includes a large concert and boxing venue.