The Cloverdale Rancheria of Pomo Indians in Northern California is considering downsizing its original plans of 2008 for a 0 million, 575,600 square foot casino, 244-room hotel, 1,300-seat entertainment hall, 984-seat convention center, and 3,500 parking space parking lot.
Instead it is looking to build a $230 million casino resort on 62 acres between Highway 101 and the Russian River that the Bureau of Indian Affairs put into trust last month.
According to the Press Democrat a top official with the tribe said that the 540-member tribe is considering downsizing due to competing casinos that have been built in the last few years, including the 534,000-square-foot Graton Resort & Casino in Rohnert Park, one of the largest Indian casinos in the state. It is about 40 miles away.
Tribal administrator Vicky Macias told the Press Democrat, “For us to come in and build something that big, we don’t know if economically it’s in the best interests of the tribe financially.” It also might be difficult to obtain funding for such a casino in the face of that kind of competition.
Instead the tribe will probably build something much more modest than the Graton casino, she said.
Before that can happen the tribe needs to negotiate a tribal state gaming compact with Governor Jerry Brown, and the legislature must ratify the compact.
The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors is also making rumbling noises that it might take the BIA to court over its decision to put the land into trust. Supervisor James Gore told the Press Democrat that he hopes that the county, the city of Cloverdale and tribe could reach a “middle ground.”
In a statement Macias said, “We look forward to restoring the path to self-sufficiency and having an opportunity to provide for our members and the local community.”
