A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit that accused the Picayune Rancheria of the Chukchansi Indians of violating a contract with a gaming firm.
Judge Dale A. Drozd said the claims in the lawsuit should be addressed in state, rather than federal court. Chairwoman Claudia Gonzales welcomed the decision. “It is clearly a nuisance suit to extort money from this tribe and has no merit,” Gonzales told The Sierra Star in a statement. “We are confident that this suit will go nowhere.” The lawsuit was filed by Osceola Blackwood Ivory Gaming. The firm claims it was promised a share of revenues from the Chukchansi Gold Resort and Casino for helping the tribe get the facility reopened. The casino was shut down for 14 months amid an internal leadership dispute. A settlement with the National Indian Gaming Commission, a federal agency, led to its reopening on December 31, 2015. The Osceola claims it should have been paid $21 million for its efforts, something the tribe denies. Turtle Talk has posted documents from the case, Osceola Blackwood Ivory Gaming Group LLC v. Picayune Rancheria of Chukchansi Indians. Read More on the Story: