Navajo Gaming Acquires Flagstaff’s Iconic Horsemen Lodge Property, Retains Team Members and Regular Business Operations

Affie Ellis, NNGE BOD member, Richard Williamson, CFO NNGE, Robert Winter, BOD member, Melinda Tomchee,
Vice Chairwoman BOD NNGE, Carmen Tracy, Special Projects NNGE, Brian Parrish, Interim CEO NNGE and Herbert Clah Jr.,
BOD member NNGE

Published December 7, 2019 

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — The Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise (Navajo Gaming) has purchased a 14.1-acre parcel and buildings in Coconino County known as The Horsemen Lodge. The restaurant and adjoining parcels both north and south along U.S. Hwy. 89 near Flagstaff, comprise an iconic southwestern steakhouse established in 1975.

“This distinct Flagstaff destination offers a unique opportunity for Navajo Gaming to expand and diversify our business operations, create new jobs and cross-market our existing facilities and products to new customer groups visiting the region,” shared Brian Parrish, Navajo Gaming Interim CEO. “We entered into a lease-back agreement with the former owners and management team that maintains existing operations while keeping the current employees on staff.”

“It was very important to us that we ensure the Horseman Lodge staff members were able to retain their jobs,” Parrish explained.

“With the shutdown of the Navajo Generating Station and Kayenta Mine in Northern Arizona, it is incumbent upon Navajo-owned Enterprises to find opportunities to overcome the ill effects resulting from these closures.  The loss of jobs for area residents and approximately $40 million in annual revenues being returned to the Navajo Nation is a tremendous hardship,” stated Quincy Natay, Chairman of the Navajo Gaming Board of Directors.

“We believe this purchase of the Horsemen Lodge fits well into our fiscally-disciplined growth strategy for Navajo Gaming and it enables us to expand and diversify our business,” shared Natay.

“Navajo Gaming is also in the final stages of completing construction on our new Navajo Blue Travel Plaza, which will launch the introduction of several new Authentic-Navajo business products, including our Navajo Fizz Craft Soda Company, Navajo Beef & Sausage Company and the Twin Arrows Fudge Company.  We will be offering a new line of specialty craft sodas with all-natural ingredients, six different flavors of Navajo beef jerky, breakfast sausages and blue-corn tamales, along with fresh, hand-crafted fudge and candy.”

“This is a very exciting time for us because these new product lines give us the opportunity to showcase new authentic Navajo products that have all been developed, sourced and produced internally on the Navajo Nation. The quality of these new products is superior and it creates another way for us to diversify our business and share Navajo culture with our guests,” noted Parrish.

Navajo Gaming is one of many Navajo Nation-owned and operated enterprises that is charged with the mission of creating jobs, increasing revenues and stimulating incremental economic development for the Navajo Nation. To learn more visit www.NavajoGaming.com