The Bureau of Indian Affairs has announced that it has begun environmental review of the Tule River Indian tribe’s plans to relocate Eagle Mountain casino to an off-reservation site in Porterville, Northern California. It will begin with a public scoping meeting on January 23.
The 40 acres for the new site is land the tribe has owned for more than 25 years next to the Porterville Airport. The $180 million casino project would have a 250-room hotel, convention space, banquet hall, eatery, sports bar, food court and 1,700 capacity entertainment center.
Tribal Chairman Neil Peyron commented last week: “We truly believe this relocation will benefit Porterville, Tulare County and the tribe by providing hundreds of new jobs while addressing existing water and traffic concerns.”
The move will also put the casino closer to a more reliable source of water, while easing the reservation’s water problems, which is preventing any building of homes. The new location will also be closer to good roads. The reservation is served by winding mountain roads.
The tribe has 1,847 members and currently employs 510 at the casino, 75 of who come from the tribe. The number of employees is expected to double at the new facility.
The environmental review, which is expected to take more than a year, will study the potential impacts of the casino on local jurisdictions. Putting the land into trust would require the assent of both the Secretary of the Interior and Governor Jerry Brown. The tribe will also need to negotiate a new tribal state gaming compact with Brown since the current one expires in three years.
So far Tulare County has taken no stand on the proposal, but the tribe and county have maintained an open line of communications about such issues as possible impacts on emergency services and roads. The city of Porterville supports the move.
