Anti-Gaming Groups Stall Yuba County Casino Construction
YOUBA COUNTY (CBS13) - Construction of a much-anticipated Yuba County casino has been suspended, due to pending litigation.
Opposition groups say the Fire Mountain Resort and Casino is being built off of tribal land. But it's already gotten the green light from lawmakers. So why has construction stalled?
Wheatland, California is a tiny rural town about forty miles north of Sacramento, but Sandra Gilbert says she's on a mission to keep out the Fire Mountain Resort and Casino, which up until a few days ago, was under construction down the street from her home.
The casino's in a very bad place. We have a poor county…then all of a sudden the grocery stores start selling beer instead of milk. It really brings a community down," said Gilbert.
Gilbert's citizen watchdog group, Citizen's For a Better Way, is one of several opposition groups pushing back against the Enterprise Rancheria Tribe, accusing it of building 50 miles away from established Indian land.
"It's out of state investors that want to make money on a casino," said Gilbert.
Tribal Chair of Enterprise Rancheria Glenda Nelson says anti-gaming groups have successfully stalled casino construction with what she calls frivolous lawsuits .
"We have had the opposition do everything in its power to delay us…we don't have the money" said Nelson.
The tribe must now turn to the federal government for additional approvals in order to secure money, to the tune of $170 million for the first phase of construction, unless the opposition has its way.
"It doesn't belong here and it never has belonged here," said Gilbert.
If the ruling comes back in the opposition's favor, it could also put the Elk Grove proposed casino site into question. The tribe proposing that casino hasn't returned our calls for comment
