The California Supreme Court has given approval to the North Fork Rancheria Hotel & Casino Resort which is planned in Madera County alongside Highway 99.

Court rules in favor of the casino

The court ruled that that former Governor Jerry Brown did not overstep his authority when approved two off-reservation tribal gaming projects. In 2011, he concurred with the federal decisions and signaled the approval of tribal gaming projects in Yuba and Madera counties. The United Auburn Indian Community vs Newsom California Supreme Court case, the judges noted that the governor had the right to concur.

After this decision, the North Fork Mono Indian Tribe can start working on its casino facility. In a press release, Elaine Bethel-Fink, the North Fork Rancheria tribal chair wrote,

“We are thrilled that the Court has finally decided this case in our favor. Our tribal citizens and local community have been denied the advantages of tribal gaming – billions of dollars in economic benefits and thousands of jobs – for far too long.”

A 10-year old legal case

The North Forth Mono Indian tribe has been working on the casino for the past two decades but the legal case is at least 10 years old. The tribe entered an agreement with Station Casinos back in 2003 to create a gaming property. Next year, it requested the federal government to take the proposed site near the Madera City in trust to develop it further for gaming purposes.

The Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs determined after the federal review that the project will not be detrimental to the surrounding community of Madera City. Governor Brown’s concurrence was then requested to move forward. He concurred in 2012.

The new casino is proposed at Avenue 17, along Highway 99. It will feature a 200-room hotel, 40 table games, and 2,000 slot machines. Bethel-Fink highlighted that federal laws control the gaming eligibility of the tribal lands but the tribe is delighted to leave the case behind. It is now eager to bring better economic opportunities and new jobs for the people and the larger community.