The North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians of California are awaiting to hear how the California Supreme Court will rule in the case of United Auburn Indian Community of the Auburn Rancheria v Newsom.
In that case the Auburn Tribe sued California Governor Gavin Newsom to try to overturn a compact signed with the Mono Indians that would allow them to build a casino and hotel off Highway 99 near Madera.
The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on June 2.
According to a spokesman for the Mono tribe, “This is the case we have been waiting on for a final ruling. The outcome of this ruling will be applied to the Tribe’s lawsuit and is the last barrier we face in order to start building.” The tribe is confident that the governor will win the ruling.
The tribe has been seeking to build a casino since 2003 when it signed a development and management agreement with Station Casinos, which will build it on 305 acres near Madera on the tribe’s historic homeland.
If the ruling favors the tribe, it plans to begin pre-construction and obtain financing, something it anticipates could take up to six months.
