Soboba Band sees opposition to casino proposal

Tuesday, September 13, 2005  

The Soboba Band of Luiseno Indians is seeing opposition to its proposal to build a casino on non-reservation land.

The tribe is acquiring 128 acres as part of a water rights settlement. The land is located about a dozen miles from the existing 5,000-acre reservation.

Since the land is part of a settlement, it could be eligible for gaming even though it was acquired after the passage of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. Local officials want the tribe to address the impacts of the casino. At least one says the casino will lead to an expansion in off-reservation gaming.

Rep. Mary Bono (R-California) and Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-California), the chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, plan to introduce a bill to authorize the settlement. They say they won't move forward until an agreement between affected parties is reached.

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