The proposal by the Tule River Indian Tribe of central California to relocate its Eagle Mountain Casino from its reservation to the city of Porterville, Tulare County, would, besides making the casino more profitable, bring more water to the tribe.
The tribe proposes to move its casino into the city limits, which would allow it to increase the number of slot machines from 1,200 to 1,750 and the number of tables from ten to 20. The project will also include a 250-room hotel.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs recently released its Environmental Impact Statement for the tribe’s proposal—and it lists reliable water as an important reason for relocating. The report calls the casino the largest user of water on tribal lands: at 45,000 gallons per day.
The water shortage on the reservation has led to a building moratorium on the reservation, with a 200-member waiting list for housing. If the casino moves, that automatically makes more water available for members and would pave the way for more homes.
The new 40-acre parcel has been owned by the tribe for 25 years. It is near the Porterville Airport, near the city limits. The tribe has operated the casino for 20 years, when it started in two trailers.
For it to move forward with its plans, the BIA must agree to put the 40 acres into trust, making it sovereign reservation land.
