He took a deep breath before speaking. Roughly 200 people watching Cody Martinez speak could tell he was emotional.
“For the last 40 years, we have supported professional sports in this town,” said the Chairman of the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation. “So, this is a natural evolution to go from sponsoring to sitting at the ownership table.”
The Sycuan Tribe is now a part owner of San Diego’s new Major League Soccer club that will begin play at Snapdragon Stadium in 2025. Martinez spoke from a stage set up along the rim of the stadium while people applauded in the crowd.
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“It’s surreal, but it’s emotional because I have so much pride and belief in the tribe of making this kind of natural progression to that level,” said Chairman Martinez a few days after the announcement.
The Sycuan name is already synonymous with San Diego Sports. It hangs over the state at Petco Park, home of the San Diego Padres. It’s on the pier in Snapdragon’s southern endzone. Becoming only the second Native American Tribe in the Untied States to own a stake in a professional sports franchise is a big step. Martinez said it’s for his Tribe’s future.
“I see hopefully that we are able to pass our equity and our involvement in the team to the next generation or my grandchildren’s generation,” he explained. “Sycuan has been able to do so many things because of the success of our casino.”
The Sycuan Casino and Resort in San Diego’s East County is the Tribe’s financial foundation. Martinez said it allowed them to diversify their portfolio, which includes ownership of the Singing Hills Golf Resort, the Marina Gateway Company in National City, and the U.S. Grant in downtown San Diego. Not bad for a tribe whose lands were limited to one square mile a few decades ago.
“We’ve expanded our lands from 640 acres to over 2,400 acres,” said Martinez. “Right now, we’re building a new medical/dental center. It’s going to break ground, hopefully later this year, possibly early next year. We’re doing housing, major infrastructure.”
Martinez said the Tribe’s success also allows them to give back. The Sycuan Band has donated millions of dollars to San Diego County organizations over the years.
Ultimately, Martinez said they’re preserving and growing the Tribe that’s been here 12,000 years.
“We want to create jobs,” he concluded. “We want to male strong investments in San Diego County and for the long-term because the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation is not going anywhere anytime soon.”
Sycuan is the second Native American Tribe to have an ownership stake in a professional sports franchise. The Mohegan Tribe is a part owner of the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun.
