Rendering of the proposed Enterprise Rancheria casino. Image from Enterprise Rancheria
California newspaper urges lawmakers to consider a Class III gaming compact for the Enterprise Rancheria rather than let the matter be resolved in federal court:
The Estom Yumeka Maidu Tribe of the Enterprise Rancheria, of Butte County, has been working to build a casino on land in south Yuba County for a while now. Finally, on Wednesday, the tribe filed suit in federal court in Sacramento alleging the state violated terms of the federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act by failing to "negotiate with the Indian tribe in good faith to enter into such a compact," according to reporting last week in the Appeal-Democrat by Eric Vodden. Gov. Jerry Brown had signed a compact with the tribe some time ago, but it stalled in the Legislature and expired on June 31. A bill, amended to call for approval of the compact, had been introduced by a Merced assemblyman, but it never got traction and was left to die. It's what was holding up the tribe from breaking ground on the casino and hotel that would go on 40 acres along Forty Mile Road. The tribe has been working on locating there in the county's "sports and entertainment zone" since 2002. Both of our local legislators were against the compact, citing, they say, local opinion against it. Both have received some criticism, too, for accepting donations from other tribes with casinos in the area that would rather not have another gambling facility in the market. In the lawsuit, the tribe asks that the state be ordered to conclude a compact with the tribe within two months or have a mediator take care of the selection. It also asks the federal secretary of the Interior to approve procedures for conducting gaming, if the state fails to consent to a compact selected by a mediator.Get the Story:
Our View: Instead of more debate about another casino, will there be a ruling? (The Marysville/Yuba City Appeal-Democrat 8/24) Bureau of Indian Affairs Documents:
Press Release | Fact Sheet | Two-Part Determination Letter Federal Register Notice:
Land Acquisitions; Enterprise Rancheria of Maidu Indians of California (December 3, 2012)
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