In Southern California, many Native American-owned casinos reopened in a flurry last month, welcoming back crowds of customers and implementing new public health policies after months-long coronavirus closures. But some tribes in the region decided to take a few extra weeks — or longer — before opening their casinos to the public. 

The San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, which runs San Manuel Casino in Highland, is one of them. The tribe watched as other casinos in the area got back up and running in late May, despite an urging from California Gov. Gavin Newsom to reconsider, and planned to wait it out instead. Their casino is now set to reopen June 15. 

"San Manuel is not one to act irresponsibly. We had to make sure that we consider the safety and security of our people, but also the larger community," said Chairman Ken Ramirez, who was sworn into the position during the coronavirus pandemic. "It wasn’t so much (Newsom's) warning, but we weren't ready to open up at that time. We wanted to make sure that we did it in the right way and in the safest way."

Tribes are sovereign nations, meaning that they aren't required to follow local or state stay-at-home orders. Tribes across the Coachella Valley still, however, voluntarily suspended casino operations in March. 

The Augustine Band of Cahuilla Indians, one of America's smallest tribes, announced on Friday that its casino in Coachella will open on June 15 as well. As of last year, the tribe had a membership of just 12 people; larger neighboring tribes, like the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, have several hundred members.