Lytton Band vows not to pursue casino on newly acquired lands


A view of the San Pablo Lytton Casino in California. Photo from Adobe Associates Inc

The Lytton Band of Pomo Indians has promised not to seek a casino on newly acquired lands in California.

The tribe operates the San Pablo Lytton Casino in San Pablo. But other than that 9.5-acre site, the tribe does not have any trust lands.

The tribe has since acquired about 1,300 acres and including a casino prohibition as part of an agreement with Sonoma County. But some residents and officials are seeking additional assurances to ensure a casino will never come to the community.

"Anything the county can continue to do to limit gaming is extremely important to us," supervisor James Gore told The Santa Rosa Press-Democrat.

H.R.2538, the Lytton Rancheria Homelands Act, includes a gaming prohibition. The bill places about 511 acres in trust for the tribe.

The bill saw a favorable hearing before the House Subcommittee on Indian, Insular and Alaska Native Affairs on June 17. But the reception in the town of Windsor -- one of the communities affected by the tribe's land acquisitions -- has been far less enthusiastic.

The San Pablo Lytton Casino is about 60 miles from Windsor on land that was placed in trust by act of Congress in 2000. The tribe only offers Class II gaming there because a Class III gaming compact has been controversial.

Get the Story:
Windsor Town Council to address deal with Lytton tribe over controversial development

Related Stories
Pro and Con: Lytton Band land-into-trust and development plan (10/02)
Lytton Band open to change in housing and development plan (09/22)
Editorial: No room for extremism on Lytton Band land-into-trust (09/07)
Lytton Band faces local opposition to land development projects (08/26)
Lytton Band faces opposition to land-into-trust bill in Congress (07/16)
Lawmakers slam county for poor dealings with Chumash Tribe (06/18)
Lytton Band paid $4.6M to use land as parking for Class II facility (02/27)

Join the Conversation