Officials in Elk Grove, California, are meeting to discuss how to move forward with the casino proposed by the Wilton Rancheria.
The tribe's $400 million project depends in part on a land agreement previously approved by the city council. But an opposition group that was financed by non-Indian gaming interests gathered enough signatures to bring the issue up again.
As a result, the city leaders are meeting on Wednesday to decide whether to rescind the land agreement. Or they could schedule a June 6 referendum and let the voters decide, according to a document prepared for the council.
The tribe previously announced that the Bureau of Indian Affairs approved the land-into-trust application for the 35.9-acre gaming site. The decision was made on the last full day of the Obama administration but an official notice has not yet appeared in the Federal Register,
a step usually taken for similar
casino land applications.
The tribe was restored to
federal recognition in 2009 after being illegally terminated in the 1950s.
Read More on the Story:
City Council to review petition on casino
(The Elk Grove Citizen 2/6)
Special Election For Elk Grove Casino Referendum Among Recommendations at Next City Council Meeting
(The Elk Grove News 2/3)
$P Federal Register Notices:
Final
Environmental Impact Statement and a Revised Draft Conformity Determination for
the Proposed Wilton Rancheria Fee-to-Trust and Casino Project, Sacramento
County, California (December 14, 2016)
Draft
Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Wilton Rancheria Fee-to-Trust
and Casino Project, Sacramento County, California (December 29, 2015)
Notice
of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Wilton
Rancheria Fee-to-Trust and Casino Project, Sacramento County, California
(December 4, 2013)
Related Stories:
Wilton
Rancheria casino land in limbo amid change in administration (2/2)
Wilton
Rancheria celebrates approval of gaming land application (1/26)
Wilton
Rancheria slams non-Indian interests for fighting casino (01/10)
Cheryl
Schmidt: Public kept in the dark on Wilton Rancheria casino (12/14)
Wilton
Rancheria takes a huge step forward with casino project (12/13)
Non-Indian
gaming firm fighting Wilton Rancheria casino project (12/6)
Wilton
Rancheria continues to face mysterious casino opposition (12/01)
Wilton
Rancheria still wondering about anti-casino campaign (11/28)
Wilton
Rancheria faces shady opposition group in push for casino (11/18)
Raymond
Hitchcock: Wilton Rancheria protects its sacred space (11/14)
Wilton
Rancheria sees more local support for $400M casino project (11/02)
Wilton
Rancheria continues to make progress on casino project (10/20)
Wilton
Rancheria makes significant progress on casino project (09/28)
Group
opposed to Wilton Rancheria casino won't reveal its backers (08/19)
Wilton
Rancheria casino bid generates controversy in community (07/19)
Wilton
Rancheria faces anonymous campaign against casino bid (7/14)
Wilton
Rancheria shares plans for major casino at outlet mall site (7/7)
Wilton
Rancheria plans casino by outlet mall under construction (06/16)
Wilton
Rancheria picks alternative site for gaming development (6/10)
Wilton
Rancheria focuses on two sites for potential gaming facility (02/17)
Wilton
Rancheria considers a second location for potential casino (02/01)
Wilton
Rancheria ready for BIA public hearing on gaming proposal (1/27)
Wilton
Rancheria anticipates lengthy process for gaming project (01/13)
Wilton
Rancheria sees BIA movement on long-awaited casino bid (01/04)
Wilton
Rancheria at impasse with city over stalled casino bid (10/29)
Wilton
Rancheria still waiting for BIA movement on gaming plan (02/27)