US$750m North Fork Casino opens as lawsuit seeks halt
The Chukchansi tribe’s third federal challenge argues North Fork never secured the state approval required to offer gaming.
Key takeaways:
- The North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians of California held the grand opening of its US$750m North Fork Mono Casino in Madera on 27 October, one day ahead of schedule.
- The first phase has a 100,000-square-foot gaming floor with 2,400 slot machines and 40 table games, two full-service restaurants, six food court options and parking for 4,000 vehicles.
- The Picayune Rancheria of the Chukchansi Indians is asking a federal court to block gambling at the property, in its third federal challenge against North Fork.
U.S.- The North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians of California has opened its US$750m North Fork Mono Casino, bringing a 25-year project into operation despite a legal challenge that could force it to suspend gaming. The casino held its grand opening on October 27, one day ahead of schedule.
Located in Madera, next to Highway 99, the first phase includes a 100,000-square-foot gaming floor with 2,400 slot machines and 40 table games, including blackjack, pai gow and roulette. The complex also has two restaurants, six food court options, a gift shop, a cultural display and parking for 4,000 vehicles.
The tribe expects the casino to create nearly 1,500 paid positions, most of them full-time roles. The project is also expected to generate additional jobs through local businesses and connected economic activity, and contribute more than US$2bn in economic impact to the region over the next 20 years, including wages and benefits, local community agreements, purchases of goods, tax revenues and construction spending.
However, the Picayune Rancheria of the Chukchansi Indians is asking a federal court to block gambling at the new property. It’s the tribe’s third federal legal challenge against the project, which it says would have an unfair competitive advantage over its casino less than 40 miles away.
The legal dispute dates back to the federal approval process for gaming on the land. Under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, tribes seeking to conduct gaming on land acquired after 1988 generally need a two-part determination: approval from the US Department of the Interior and the governor of the state where the land is located.
The North Fork tribe received federal approval in 2012, when the government took the land into trust for gaming purposes. However, a California state court ruled last year that voters had rejected the casino’s gaming compact in 2014, effectively invalidating former Governor Jerry Brown’s approval. The Picayune tribe argues that this decision means North Fork never secured the state approval required under federal law.
North Fork tribal chairwoman and spokesperson Elaine Bethel-Fink defended the project’s approval process in a statement: “No tribal gaming project in the nation has seen as much attention and scrutiny as well as collaboration and approvals as ours. Our Tribe and community kept faith and showed respect throughout the entire 20-plus-year process, believing in the power of collaboration and competition.”
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
- What does North Fork Mono Casino offer? The first phase includes a 100,000-square-foot gaming floor with 2,400 slot machines and 40 table games, including Blackjack, Pai Gow and Roulette. It also has two full-service restaurants, six food court options, a gift shop and a cultural display.
- Why is the Chukchansi tribe trying to block the North Fork casino? The Picayune Rancheria says North Fork never secured state approval because a California court ruled that voters rejected its gaming compact in 2014. It also argues that the casino, less than 40 miles from Chukchansi Gold Casino & Resort, would have an unfair competitive advantage.
- What approvals does a tribe need to game on land acquired after 1988? Under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, it generally needs a two-part determination: approval from the US Department of the Interior and from the governor of the state where the land is located. North Fork received federal approval in 2012, when the land was taken into trust for gaming.
