The Enterprise Rancheria of California cleared a significant hurdle in its quest for an off-reservation casino.
California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) on Friday concurred with the Obama administration's decision on the casino. The tribe plans a facility with up to 2,000 slot machines on a 40-acre parcel about 36 miles from its headquarters, according to a fact sheet from the Bureau of Indian Affairs. “The Enterprise Rancheria is very pleased with the Governor’s concurrence that displayed both courage and understanding. This is an important step in a nearly decade long process to bring some economic relief and social justice to both our people and community,” Chairwoman Glenda Nelson said in a press release. The tribe still needs to win approval of its land-into-trust application before starting work on the casino. It's not clear when the BIA will make a final decision. Under the two-part determination section of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, only three tribes have won state and federal approval for an off-reservation casino since 1988. The last time a state governor approved an off-reservation casino under the two-part determination section was in 2007. But in that case, the Bush administration rejected a land-into-trust application for the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe, so the project never moved forward. Get the Story: