Indianz.Com > Indian Gaming

February 2, 2012

Hearing planned on Chumash Tribe's casino liquor license

The California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control plans to hold a hearing on a liquor license at the casino owned by the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians. The tribe is seeking to expand the sale of liquor at the...

February 1, 2012

California governor negotiating compacts with more tribes

California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) is in compact negotiations with 15 to 20 tribes, his negotiator Jacob Appelsmith told The Sacramento Bee. Brown signed his first compact last year, shortly after taking office. The deal with the Habematolel Pomo of...

January 23, 2012

Non-Indian law firm receives a cut of tribal gaming revenues

Howard Dickstein, a non-Indian attorney, has received a share of gaming revenues from at least two of the tribes he has represented, The Sacramento Bee reports. Dickstein and his firm received 1 percent of profits from the casino owned by...

January 20, 2012

Editorial: Governor should reject North Fork Rancheria casino

"The North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians has been trying for years to build an off-reservation casino on Highway 99 north of Madera, and has moved a step closer to its goal. But it's the wrong location for a Las...

January 16, 2012

Judge rules Santa Ysabel Band owes $3M under gaming deal

A federal judge has ordered the Santa Ysabel Band of Mission Indians to pay $3 million under its gaming agreement with San Diego County, California. The tribe agreed to make payments to offset the impact of the Santa Ysabel Casino....

January 11, 2012

County reaffirms support for North Fork Rancheria casino bid

The board of supervisors in Madera County, California, voted 4-1 to reaffirm their support for the off-reservation casino sought by the North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians. The county will send a letter to Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-California), who questioned...

January 9, 2012

Editorial: Casino a possiblity for newly recognized Tejon Tribe

"It's been a long wait for Kern County's Tejon Indian tribe, which has missed out on federal recognition -- and the potential for economic independence that comes with it -- for decades, and for no good reason. The Bureau of...

January 6, 2012

Opinion: Say no to off-reservation casinos for California tribes

"New polling data released Dec. 6 shows a vast majority of California voters strongly oppose building off-reservation casinos and believe voters should have their say in any decision to pursue off-reservation gaming. The new survey, conducted by Jim Moore Methods,...

January 5, 2012

Justice Department opinion adds to debate on Internet gaming

A legal opinion from the Department of Justice is stirring the already-complicated debate over Internet gaming. The opinion essentially allows state governments to use the Internet to sell lottery tickets. That could mean tribes will be able to engage in...

Column: Obama administration takes action for gaming tribes

"Obama doesn't mention casinos when he talks about Indians. But in recent months, the administration made several decisions that help Indian gambling interests. In September, Echo Hawk approved two casinos far from tribes' reservations. One would be near the Sleep...

December 15, 2011

Editorial: Off-reservation casino needs community support

"We respect the sovereignty of American Indian lands. But we also believe tribes should respect the wishes and policies of local residents. One such conflict is playing out in Joshua Tree, where the Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians is...

December 12, 2011

Shingle Springs Band in state court with old casino partner

The Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians of California could owe millions of dollars to its former gaming partner. The tribe and Sharp Image opened a facility in 1996 but it closed a year later. The tribe subsequently with Lakes...

Letter: Enterprise Rancheria casino means jobs for county

"Finally, after nine years of trying to build a casino that will bring thousands of jobs to Yuba County, the Maidu Tribe can see some light at the end of the tunnel. However, certain forces in the county are clamoring...

December 8, 2011

Forum draws supporters of Enterprise Rancheria casino plan

Supporters of the Enterprise Rancheria casino rivaled opponents at a forum hosted by Stand Up For California! on Wednesday night. The group only invited opponents to speak. But about half of the 150 people in the audience supported the casino,...

Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake spending $29.7M on casino

The Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake in California is spending $29.7 million on its casino, The Santa Rosa Press-Democrat. The building for the 33,000-square-foot Running Creek Casino will cost $8.9 million. The fixtures, including 349 slot machines, will cost an...

December 7, 2011

Lawmakers favor Enterprise Rancheria off-reservation casino

Rep. John Garamendi (D-California) and Rep. Tom McClintock (R-California) support the Enterprise Rancheria off-reservation casino. Garamendi's district, if he is re-elected, will include the proposed casino. He says the project will generate jobs. McClintock, who has a favorable record on...

Investigation at North Fork Rancheria tied to gaming proposal

The North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians of California says a federal investigation is "apparently" centered on the tribe's gaming agreement with Station Casinos. The tribe is proposing an off-reservation casino about 40 miles from its headquarters. The Bureau of...

December 6, 2011

Dry Creek Rancheria announces deal for $200M in gaming debt

The Dry Creek Rancheria Band of Pomo Indians of California announced an agreement to restructure about $200 million in gaming debt. The debt was due November 1 but the tribe's creditors agreed not to pursue default pending a restructure. The...

December 2, 2011

Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake set to open casino next year

The Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake in California expects to open its casino in spring or early summer of 2012, The Lake County News reports. Construction of the Running Creek Casino began in August. The 33,000 square-foot casino will feature...

December 1, 2011

Group's leader again exaggerates gaming plans in California

The leader of Stand Up For California! says most of the 137 land-into-trust applications in California involve gaming but her record on the issue is spotty. Cheryl Schmit often claims tribes are looking casinos even when they have specifically disavowed...

Enterprise Rancheria casino deal signed almost 10 years ago

The Enterprise Rancheria. signed a memorandum of understanding for its casino in Yuba County almost a decade ago. The county approved the deal in December 2002. The Bureau of Indian Affairs didn't approve the casino until September. "We negotiated a...

November 22, 2011

Forum scheduled to oppose Enterprise Rancheria casino plans

Stand Up For California! is hosting a forum next month to discuss opposition to the Enterprise Rancheria. The tribe is headquartered in Butte County. Its gaming site is in Yuba County, about 36 miles from the reservation but tribal leaders...

Opinion: Gabrielino-Tongva Tribe still dreaming about casino

"With Indian Casinos virtually surrounding Los Angeles County, one might ask: why are there no Indian Casinos in Los Angeles County? The short answer is, there are no Indian Reservations in Los Angeles County upon which a casino could be...

November 21, 2011

Robert Smith: Address tribal concerns about Internet gaming

"California is the home to 107 federally recognized Indian tribes, and the authorization of intrastate online gaming is a policy issue that has generated some disagreement among some of us in Indian country. But the disagreement is not about the...

November 17, 2011

Sen. Feinstein against Twentynine Palms off-reservation casino

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-California) is opposing another off-reservation casino. The Twentynine Palms Band of Mission Indians wants to build a casino in Joshua Tree. But Feinstein said the site is too close to Joshua Tree National Park. "Placing a casino...

Chukchansi Tribe fails to make payment on casino-related debt

The Picayune Rancheria of the Chukchansi Indians in California has defaulted on its gaming-related debt. The Chukchansi Economic Development Authority announced yesterday that it failed to make an interest payment that was due on November 15. The amount was not...

November 15, 2011

Dry Creek Rancheria reports an increase in casino revenue

The Dry Creek Rancheria Band of Pomo Indians of California reported an increase in gaming revenue. The River Rock Casino took in $31.3 million in the last quarter. That's up nearly 4 percent from the same time a year ago,...

November 10, 2011

Credit ratings lowered for Dry Creek Rancheria gaming debt

The Dry Creek Rancheria Band of Pomo Indians of California has reached a deal restructure $200 million in gaming debt but that hasn't stopped its credit ratings from being lowered. Moody’s Investors Service and Standard & Poor’s lowered the tribe's...

Mississippi Choctaws reach deal to restructure gaming debt

The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians has reached a deal to restructure its gaming debt. An $80.8 million loan that was due this month has been extended, Chief Phyliss J. Anderson announced. The new date is May 4, 2012....

Opinion: Chumash Tribe makes casino workers sign petition

"The community is a buzz with the latest regarding “Camp 4” – the 1,400 acres in the heart of the Santa Ynez Valley owned by the Chumash Casino tribe (Santa Ynez Band of Mission Indians). Apparently, the Chumash Casino tribal...