The Big Sandy Rancheria Band of Western Mono Indians filed a draft environmental impact statement last week for a proposed casino and resort near Friant, according to the Bureau of Indian Affairs, which also participated in the filing.
The complex would have a gaming floor, restaurant and lounge facilities, an entertainment hall, a hotel and conference center and a multi-level parking garage. The public has 75 days to comment on the statement, from Jan. 14 to March 28.
A public hearing is planned Wednesday, Feb. 2, on the project. It will be from 6 to 9 p.m. in the multi-purpose room of Foothill Middle School, 29147 Auberry Road in Prather.
The draft environmental statement outlines the environmental impacts of the construction and the mitigation measures that would be used to minimize them.
It seems to be a bit outside their tribal lands, but it would definitely cut into the overall business of the Picayune Rancheria's Chukchansi Casino. Anyone want to be that Picayune will fight their neighboring tribes plan to become self reliant?
5 comments:
I am sure that they, the Picayune Tribe, will try to block this, a Casino close to them would definitely cut into their business.
After kicking out about 600 citizens, this greedy Tribe does not want to see their per cap lowered.
all my relations...
picayune will definintely oppose this development as they have with north fork mono's plan to develop a casino on highway 99 at madera...
furthermore, table mountain--also blatant violators of the rights of hundreds of chukchansi people through non-recognition--has been fighting this development for years and it is planned within just a few miles of table mountain casino...
greed is a main agenda at both picayune and table mountain, and has been for years...
it has been said that some of the council which sit at table mountain actually are descendents of picayune, and it would be a good day if picayune took them back...
i believe it would be a good day in indian country when all remember the ways and the struggles of their ancestors and bring all of our people home where they belong...
Picayune, Table Mountain, Enterprise, Pechanga, Snoquame and so many others, stop dissecting your people and your families...
you are practicing APARTHEID IN AMERICA.
Bring all of your people home.
from a fresno bee article (2005) in regard to the on-going fight between table mountain and big sandy in regards to big sandy's establishing a new casino:
In the October 9, 2005 The Fresno Bee newspaper article titled "Dispute clouds casino proposal":
"Table Mountain says it has claims to the land Big Sandy wants to use". A dispute between two local Indian tribes each claiming to have historical ties to a piece of land in the Fresno County foothills could jeopardize plans for a new $250 million casino and hotel.
The National Indian Gaming Commission is now trying to determine whether the Big Sandy Band of Western Mono Indians has jurisdiction to game on the 40 acres in the Friant-Auberry area where it is proposing to build one of the largest casinos in the Valley.
Plans call for the Big Sandy Rancheria to lease the land from tribal member Sherrill Anne McCabe-Esteves. McCabe-Esteves' family has owned the land since 1920.
But now another tribe has come forward claiming it also has ties to the land. Table Mountain Rancheria says one of its tribal members once owned the land. The dispute centers around the tribal affiliation of Frank McCabe — the grandfather of McCabe-Esteves.
Table Mountain claims that Frank McCabe is listed on its base rolls in 1916 as a tribal member. The tribe says that Frank McCabe later married a Big Sandy tribal member and at some point moved onto its rancheria. But Big Sandy tribal members say that according to the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs 1933 California Roll Book, Frank McCabe belonged to their tribe.
...Ric Contreras, tribal executive officer for Big Sandy Rancheria, said Table Mountain is making these claims because the tribe is concerned about competition in the area. Table Mountain currently operates a casino within two miles of the site where Big Sandy wants to put its casino. Said Contreras: 'We know where we stand on it. Competitors are always going to be making all kinds of accusations.'
But Dan Casas, attorney for Table Mountain, said his tribe doesn't want gaming on the land because of its historical significance. He says the land was once the site of an Indian village and contains ancient burial grounds and a sweat lodge. 'We do not oppose their right to game,' he said. 'We are opposed and we will fight to the bitter end the desecration of a sacred site.'
This is not the first time Table Mountain has expressed concerns about plans by Big Sandy Rancheria to build a new casino in the area. At a public meeting last month, the tribe said the site has *historical significance to its members. They also cited concerns about the lack of water in the area and increased traffic as reasons they oppose the project.
and from tribalcorruption.com in regard to the article:
"Tragically, Table Mountain will acknowledge a deceased Indian as a tribal member in order to retain individual per capita payments of over half a million dollars a year, but fail to recognize Maryiln Brantley, pictured to the right in the center, as a tribal member even though her ancestors names appear on both the 1916 and 1933 rolls. Her family has lived within the Table Mountain Rancheria or land that is within the jurisdiction that tribal officials claim is theirs."
all my relations...
TABLE MOUNTAIN TRIBAL COUNCIL and PICAYUNE RANCHERIA OF THE CHUKCHANSI INDIANS TRIBAL COUNCIL WERE OUT IN FULL FORCE GIVING VERBAL TESTIMONY IN OPPOSITION TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF NORTH FORK MONO'S PROPOSED CASINO DEVELOPMENT ON HIGHWAY IN THE 2008 BIA HELD MEETING AT MADERA. ONE CAN BE SURE TO FIND MEMBERS OF BOTH COUNCILS DOING MORE OF THE SAME AT NEXT WEEK'S UPCOMING MEETING ON THE PROPOSAL SCHEDULED BY THE BIA ON WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2010, 6:00 PM AT FOOTHILL MIDDLE SCHOOL, AUBERRY.
"At a public meeting last month, the tribe said the site has *historical significance to its members"
Sounds like they may be planing to build a golf course on the site.
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