"The Rumsey Band of Wintun Indians appreciates the thoughts expressed in the June 10 Daily Democrat editorial and in your June 11 analysis story regarding the proposed new plans for our Cache Creek Casino Resort.

We respect the concerns raised in these articles by both the paper and by some of our neighbors who were quoted.

We hope to discuss this input and much more through the environmental review process. This process will officially begin with the filing in the next few weeks of the environmental analysis document that will evaluate the impacts of the proposed project. As a testament to our commitment to a thorough environmental review, we anticipate this process will last many months, taking us through the early part of next year.

The Tribe first and foremost wants to be very clear that Capay Valley is not just the location of our business. It is our home.

Everything we have done before now, and all of our planning for the future, pays special attention to the beauty and desirability of this land and its precious resources. We are very cautious in undertaking such projects because we live here, too, and share the same love of the land as our neighbors. Our ties to this land go back thousands of years. We want to protect the valley and preserve its unique qualities for future generations.

We hope that our neighbors also recognize the need for our enterprise to remain competitive and viable. This is essential for the Tribe to maintain a strong, self-sufficient government, and to sustain and protect our future generations. Our new project is the next logical step in the evolution of Cache Creek Casino Resort. "

Get the Story:
Marshall McKay: Wintun tribe committed to careful review of proposed resort addition (The Woodland Daily Democrat 6/20)