The Picayune Rancheria of Chukchansi Indians, a California-based federally recognized tribe, announced on Thursday that its Tribal Council has filed a lawsuit against state Governor Edmund Brown Jr., arguing that he had neglected the results of a 2014 vote to prevent another California tribe from building a Las Vegas-style casino not far from the one operated by the Chukchansi tribe itself.
The lawsuit was filed in the Madera County Superior Court earlier this month. The Chukchansi Tribal Council claimed that Gov. Brown moved on with a decision made by Ken Salazar, the then-Secretary of the Interior, in 2012 that allowed for the placement of 305 acres of land in Madera County into trust for the operation of a casino complex by the North Fork Rancheria Band of Mono Indians. The said casino was to be built not far from Highway 99, known to be one of the busiest roads in the region.
In 2014, California residents rejected the North Fork proposal in a statewide vote, but according to the Chukchansi tribe, Gov. Brown did not comply with voters’ decision. Under state laws, the North Fork tribe cannot proceed with the construction of its planned gambling venue due to the negative vote. If, however, a new compact is approved by federal governments and the state of California, the tribe will eventually be allowed to materialize its plan.
North Fork tribal officials have told media that construction work is on hold until all legal disputes are settled. As mentioned above, if eventually built, the North Fork gambling facility will be located on Highway 99. It is important to note that the casino will have a much better location than the existing Chukchansi Gold Coast Resort & Casino, operated by the Chukchansi tribe. The latter resort is located in the Sierra Nevada foothills.
Claudia Gonzales, Tribal Chairwoman of the Picayune Rancheria of Chukchansi Indians, said in a Thursday statement a potential new North Fork compact would not only neglect California residents’ will but would also “undo decades of tribal gaming regulations” and would allow off-reservation casinos to launched anywhere in the state.
Ms. Gonzales further noted that they are willing to stand up to tribes like their own that have followed the regulations for decades now and to urge Gov. Brown and other state legislators to listen to California voters’ voice and to ban the proposed construction of a North Fork casino once and for all.
Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino reopened doors on December 31, 2015 after being shuttered for more than a year. Following a violent dispute between tribal fractions, the venue was closed by the National Indian Gaming Commission and remained so until the tribe settled all issues related to its closure.
