Jamul Indian Village wins county approval for gaming agreement

Thursday, April 14, 2016

The $400 million Hollywood Casino is rising on the Jamul Indian Village near San Diego, California. Photo courtesy Jamul Indian Village
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The Jamul Indian Village and San Diego County, California, have formalized a gaming agreement.

The memorandum of understanding requires the tribe to address the impacts of the $400 million Hollywood Casino Jamul that's under construction on the reservation. It includes $4.8 million in initial payments for fire and life safety services plus $2.75 million annually for services. About $20 million will go toward transportation improvements.

"The casino and this agreement in particular will provide significant benefits for Jamul and surrounding communities that would otherwise not be available," Chairwoman Erica Pinto said in a press release.

The casino has been controversial among residents. According to news reports, opponents outnumbered supporters at a public meeting where the agreement was discussed and before the board of supervisors voted 3 to 1 to approve it.

Indianz.Com SoundCloud: 9th Circuit Court of Appeals Oral Arguments in Jamul Action Committee v. Jonodev Chaudhuri

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The tribe expects to open the casino this summer. It will be managed by Penn National Gaming, provided that a management contract is approved by the National Indian Gaming Commission. Comments on a draft supplemental environmental impact statement are being accepted until April 28.

Opponents are trying to stop the project in a lawsuit against the NIGC. A federal judge dismissed the case but the group took the matter to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. Oral arguments were heard in December 2015 but a decision hasn't been issued.

Turtle Talk has posted briefs from the case, Jamul Action Committee v. Chaudhuri. Additional documents are available from the Government Printing Office.

Get the Story:
County OKs agreement over Jamul tribe’s casino (The San Diego Union Tribune 4/14)
Agreement Between County and Jamul Casino Approved (The Times of San Diego 4/13)
JAMUL CASINO AGREEMENT ON AGENDA FOR SUPERVISORS WEDNESDAY (East County News Service 4/10)
WEBSITE LAUNCHED FOR CASINO IN JAMUL; JOBS INFO ONLINE (East County Magazine 3/16)

Federal Register Notice:
Notice of Availability of a Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for the Jamul Indian Village Proposed Gaming Management Agreement, San Diego County, California (March 14, 2016)