An aerial view of Mare Island. Photo from City of Vallejo
Two tribes are hoping to turn Mare Island in Vallejo, California, into an off-reservation gaming destination. The Elem Colony and the Koi Nation submitted separate bids to the city to develop the island. Both tribes think they have a stronger chance than other groups. "It's probably going to be the most exciting project on the West Coast," Koi Nation Treasurer Dino Beltran said at a public hearing in the city, The Vallejo Times Herald reported. “We are the tribe best suited for this proposal,” Elem Chairman Agustin Garcia said, The San Francisco Chronicle reported. “As an impoverished tribe, we want to uplift not only ourselves but others who are disadvantaged by providing good jobs — and we can get this plan done quicker than anyone else.” The Elem Colony has a reservation about 85 miles north of Vallejo. The tribe wants to ask Congress to place the land into trust if it wins the development bid. The Koi Nation lacks a land base after the federal government sold the tribe's reservation in 1956. The tribe presumably qualifies for an exception in the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act that applies to tribes that were restored to federal recognition. A third, and possibly fourth, group have included a casino in their bids to the city but neither has publicly identified a tribal partner. A total of 11 bids were submitted. Get the Story:
Off-reservation casino battle heats up in Vallejo (The Vallejo Times Herald 11/19)
Indian tribes competing to build huge casino in Vallejo (The San Francisco Chronicle 11/18) An Opinion:
Editorial: Quest for casino spots never stops (The San Francisco Chronicle 11/19) Related Stories:
City in California considers proposals for off-reservation casino (10/16)
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