The Apache Tribe

• The Apache tribe consists of several groups of Native American peoples who live mainly in the southwest, with significant populations in Arizona and New Mexico. Most of the tribe's income is derived from the timber industry, casino gambling, and tourism. Tourism possibilities on the Apache reservations include ski resorts, wildlife safaris, hunting and fishing, whitewater rafting, golfing, and other recreational pursuits.
  
  

Gaming and logging

• The development of casino gaming on the reservations, as it became legal on a state-by-state basis in the 1990s, has made all the difference in economic advancement for the tribe, especially important since the Apache timber industry in Arizona was decimated by forest fires in 2002 and 2003, fires which devastated hundreds of thousands of acres. In 2002, the Rodeo-Chediski fire alone destroyed 276,000 acres of old-growth ponderosa pine on tribal land. This has been especially difficult for segments of the tribe that have mainly relied on logging for income, like the Whiteriver Apache, whose casino and tourism industries are supplements to their timber industry revenue. Unemployment there has remained in the area of 35%, and poverty in that particular segment of the tribe remains high.
  
  

Outdoor recreation

• http://www.flickr.com/photos/57191319@N00/26663445/
  
  The beautiful mountainous lands of the Apache reservations, with pristine streams, forests, and abundant wildlife, offer recreational opportunities for scenic tours, hiking, biking, skiing, fishing, and hunting. Some segments of the tribe, such as the Mescalero Apache, have worked toward substantial development of their hunting and fishing resources, providing employment for tribal members, and generating revenue through the sale of hunting and fishing licenses. The White Mountain Apache offer world-renowned elk hunting, with guides to help make the hunt a success. Other hunting options there include deer, antelope, bighorn sheep, bear, mountain lion and turkey. The White Mountain Apache wildlife and recreation program was the 2000 Honoree in the Harvard Project of American Indian Economic Development.
  
  

Casinos provide revenue for reinvestment

• Some Apache casinos are tremendously successful, and tribes invest part of their gaming revenue into further economic self-sufficiency, such as building spectacular hotels and resorts, acquiring stores, and moving into other business such as construction. The Yavapai Apache tribe's casino is a good showcase of great success, benefiting from its proximity to Scottsdale and Phoenix. New Mexico has many examples. Sandia Pueblo's hotel at their resort on the north side of Albuquerque offers fantastic views of the Sandia Mountains, while at San Felipe Pueblo, tribal members reinvested revenue into a travel center and a popular auto racetrack. At Santa Clara Pueblo, the tribe has created a championship golf course. Santa Ana Pueblo has built a world-class upscale resort with their casino revenue, the Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort & Spa and golf center.