Thirteen years ago the Manzanita Band of Kumeyaay Nation approached the California city of Calexico with a proposal for an off-reservation casino hotel resort in the city.
In 2009 the Calexico City Council approved of the plans and signed an agreement with Hallwood Calexico Investments, LLC for a Class III tribal casino on more than 230 acres in the city.
In 2005 in a special election a majority of voters approved of negotiating with the tribe. The plans called for a casino with 400-room hotel, retail shopping and a police/fire headquarters on 60 acres.
However, it appears that the process dragged out too long. The tribe didn’t provide the Bureau of Indian Affairs with timely updates and the leadership of the tribe changed. Now the project is officially dead as far as the city is concerned.
