The Wilton Rancheria, a tribe in Sacramento County, Calif., took 77 acres into trust in Elk Grove for its Sky River Casino, the Sacramento Business Journal reported May 13.
During the signing ceremony with Amy Dutschke, Pacific Region director for the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs, tribal Chairman Jesus Tarango Jr. commented, “Putting land into trust is more than just a legal technicality,” adding, “It is about reclaiming our identity and securing our future.”
The land being put into trust is largely undeveloped ranchland. Besides a casino, the tribe also plans to build a community cultural center and repurpose an existing building for an elders center.
The land was part of the original rancheria land established in 1928 and then disestablished in 1964 by the federal government when 41 tribes lost federal recognition. Years later, the U.S. Supreme Court reversed that action.
