Adjacent to the town of Payson, Arizona, the Tonto Apache Tribe has a land base of 85 acres and a population of approximately 140, with 110 enrolled Tribal members. Recognizing the relatively small size of their reservation, the Tribe wanted to maximize its geographical resources. Surrounded by beautiful, natural landscapes such as the Mazatzal Mountains to the west, the Sierra Ancha Mountains to the south, and the Mogollon Rim to the north, the reservation’s location presented the Tribe with opportunities for tourism and business expansion.
When it comes to Tribal economic development, planning for the future is just as important as addressing immediate needs. Master planning provides a roadmap for development, ensuring that projects align with both immediate needs and long-term goals. Whether it’s addressing infrastructure challenges, leveraging existing assets, or creating new revenue streams, having a comprehensive plan in place sets the stage for success. Bodwé company WBK Engineering, LLC works closely with Tribal Nations to develop planning solutions that promote growth opportunities. For the Tonto Apache Tribe, working with the Bodwé team has allowed the Tribe to prioritize building and infrastructure projects as part of their larger, multi-year community and economic planning efforts.
The journey toward economic growth began in 2020 when the Tonto Apache Tribe launched Apache Corners, with a goal to develop a Master Plan for development aimed at capturing economic potential and reinvesting in the community. Encompassing 75 acres of trust land on both sides of Arizona State Route 87, Apache Corners is a mixed-use development that expands on the Tribe’s existing enterprises, such as the Mazatzal Casino and Hotel, a convenience store and a tire shop. The first phase of development includes an entertainment district featuring a distillery tasting room and outdoor patio, a new travel center and vital infrastructure improvements.
The anticipated economic impact of Apache Corners is significant: $89.2 million in total economic output, 1,043 new jobs created, $30.5 million in new wages, and $9.1 million in tax revenue, according to the Apache Corners website. With the full Master Plan build-out over time, the Tonto Apache Tribe will transform their community into a true destination where visitors come to stay, play, and contribute to the local and regional economy.
Chuck Hanlon, Vice President of Operations, says the Bodwé team’s involvement in the project began through conversations with Eric Trevan, President and CEO of aLocal Solutions, an AI-driven market and economic data analytics firm.
“Eric knew about some of our previous work with Gun Lake Investments for the Gun Lake Tribe and Noo-Kayet Investments for the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe,” said Chuck. “He reached out to discuss the potential of bringing us in to develop a phased approach Master Plan and engineering services to move towards implementation.”
Eric Trevan, a tribal citizen of the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Potawatomi (Gun Lake Tribe) in Michigan, had been consulting with the Tonto Apache Tribe to study economic development initiatives. Recalling the expertise of Bodwé and WBK and the team’s commitment to quality, Eric requested a proposal for planning and civil engineering services to refine Phase 1 within the framework of the Tribe’s vision for Apache Corners.
“We felt it was not only important, but critical to the success of Apache Corners to find a high quality and experienced planning firm who could help guide us throughout the process. We understood that in order to find great partners, we would have to be open to firms who were out of the area. WBK [Bodwé] provided seamless support and a high level of professionalism. We are proud that aLocal is a Native-owned firm and we can work with other high quality Indigenous-owned firms such as WBK [Bodwé].” —Eric Trevan
Soon after initiating work on the Apache Corners project and with further discussions with Eric and the Tonto Apache Tribal Council, it became clear that the team needed to back up a few steps and add a more comprehensive Master Planning component to ensure long-term project feasibility and success. The Bodwé team revised its proposal to include comprehensive planning services and to design the project to be developed in phases while ensuring the economic development plan would be aligned with the Tribe’s long-term vision.
A key challenge with the project was how to approach development on land split by AZ Route 87, which required careful planning to maintain connectivity and improve infrastructure. Initially, one of the Tribe’s biggest priorities was developing the land on the west side, referred to as West Apache Corners. Adam Rak, Sr. Urban Planner, says the team started by creating a plan based on the Tribe’s initial renderings and programming for the area.
“We quickly realized that the West Apache Corners site, although clear, open and ready to be developed, had no utilities yet. Our immediate focus and recommendation was that the Tribe shift their efforts for economic development to the east side.” —Adam Rak
Taking a long-term, strategic approach, the team was able to help the Tribe prioritize infrastructure investments that would support future expansion on both sides of the highway, but the project phasing needed to begin on the east side. East Apache Corners already had the casino and an older travel center, which meant further development of this area could easily be connected to the existing utilities with modification. By focusing on East Apache Corners first, the Tonto Apache Tribe can continue working with permitting agencies and generate funding to eventually bring those utilities and future development to West Apache Corners.
With the master plan and phasing options in place, the team is now beginning to work on site development preliminary engineering for Phase One of East Apache Corners. This phase includes two key areas: the Heritage District, which will house a tasting room and production facility for Heritage Distillery, along with an outdoor plaza, food court, and an event stage for concerts; and the new Travel Center, which includes a turnkey rebuild creating an upscale convenience store and an expanded gas canopy to better accommodate the larger vehicles often pulling trailers traveling to nearby recreational areas. Apache Corners and the new travel center is the first stop heading into Payson, AZ and “Rim Country."
Future economic development expansions will include a new hotel adjacent to the casino's east entrance, a state-of-the-art Family Entertainment Center, a glass domed structure housing an Indoor Water Park, with expanded parking in East Apache Corners. Future phases in West Apache Corners will include a modern health clinic, training and education facilities, a grocery store, a cannabis dispensary, and light manufacturing facilities. Infrastructure upgrades will focus on streetscape enhancements, signage improvements, pedestrian safety, traffic flow and connectivity between both sides of the development.
Many Tribal communities have similar goals for their developments, often building projects as funding becomes available. However, by engaging groups such as Bodwé during the planning process, Tribes can identify their priorities and create phased development strategies that align with their vision for long-term growth.
"When I was introduced to WBK [Bodwé], I knew their partnership was critical to the success of building our economic sovereignty,” said Chairman Calvin Johnson of the Tonto Apache Tribe.
“Working with their team has been incredible, and their professionalism sets a high standard no matter where their team is located. When building an initial $200M development, we need trusted resources. We trust WBK [Bodwé].” —Chairman Calvin Johnson
Bodwé Group and WBK Engineering are honored to be supporting the Tonto Apache Tribe in bringing Apache Corners to life. With thoughtful planning and strategic investment, Tribes can drive economic development that strengthens their communities, creates jobs, and builds a sustainable future for generations to come.
For more information on Apache Corners, visit www.apachecorners.com.
