LOS ANGELES – (Oct. 25, 2013) – Gearing up for the first game of their regular season, the Los Angeles Lakers made a preseason practice stop at the Pechanga Recreation Center on the Pechanga Indian Reservation in Temecula, Calif. On Friday, October 25 from 11 a.m. to noon, players and coaches participated in a practice at the Tribe’s recreation center.
The Los Angeles Lakers have been traveling to many points across Southern California for exhibition games during the preseason. The Lakers’ practice in Temecula was not open to the public, though members of the media were invited to cover the event.
“We are very excited for our tribal youth that we can again host the Lakers,” said Tribal Chairman Mark Macarro. “This is a tremendous opportunity for the children to get a small glimpse of the hard work and dedication it takes to be one of the best at any pursuit in life.”
Pechanga has been a longtime donor to the Lakers Youth Foundation and sponsor of the Los Angeles Lakers. The team held a similar practice at Pechanga in 2010 at the newly-built recreation center. The team was so impressed with the facility and the hospitality provided by the Pechanga Indian Reservation that they decided to make it back again and to raise some money for charity. Many of the players and coaches took part in a casino night at Pechanga Resort & Casino the night before the practice on October 25th to once again to raise funds for the Lakers Youth Foundation.
About the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians
The Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians is a federally recognized Indian tribe that has called the Temecula Valley home since time immemorial. After years of hardship and mistreatment by settlers, the Pechanga Indian Reservation was established by presidential executive order in 1882, affirming the Tribe’s sovereign rights and land-base. The Pechanga Band employs over 4,000 people and owns and operates the award-winning Pechanga Resort & Casino, the largest gaming facility in the western United States.