In 2023, the North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians will finally have a casino built in Madera County. The project has been in the works for almost two decades and now, with a major court decision to its favor, it will finally move forward.
A federal judge ruled against a lawsuit filed by opponents of the proposed casino, saying the project would not break state law. In a 170-page ruling, U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell rejected a number of arguments against the North Fork Rancheria, including a claim that the tribe’s compact with the Department of Interior was invalid.
Despite the court ruling, the North Fork Rancheria will continue to pursue their plans to build a casino on Highway 99 near Avenue 18. They have partnered with Red Rock Resorts and Station Casinos, both of which operate casinos in Nevada, to construct and manage the project.
The casino will be a 213,000 square foot development that will include a 200-room hotel and approximately 100,000 sq ft of gaming space. The casino will feature 2,000 slot machines and 40 tables and a restaurant, bar, food hall and retail area.
Although the project is a long time coming, North Fork Tribal Chair Elaine Beth Fink believes the court’s ruling was a welcome one that will allow the tribe to move forward with their plans. She says, “It’s more than a relief to me that we can now begin the process to get this casino built.”
Opponents of the project say it will set a bad precedent and could harm local tribes with their own casino operations. They also point to the fact that there are already three tribal casinos in the area – Chukchansi Gold, Table Mountain and Club One – as well as an independent gambling operation.
But supporters of the project say it will boost tourism in Madera and create a lucrative business that will bring new jobs to the area. They also believe that the project will improve relations between the tribe and local governments, which are already squabbling over taxes and other revenue sources.
Activist groups are pushing for the project to be put on hold, but that isn’t likely to happen. The case against the project was filed by Stand Up California versus the Department of Interior, and an appeal is expected to be taken to the US Supreme Court.
In addition, the Picayune Rancheria of Chukchansi Indians is enlisting a Northern California congressman to help block the casino. The Chukchansi want to change federal law that allows off-reservation gaming and will seek help from Representative Doug LaMalfa, R-Oroville.
Other tribes are also opposed to the project. The Mooretown and Colusa tribes, which have casinos in Northern California, have endorsed the opposition campaign.
While it is still in the early stages, the fight against the North Fork Rancheria is likely to go on for a while as opponents raise funds and try to gather enough signatures to put the casino project on hold.