The Karuk Tribe has proposed what would be the northernmost casino in California in Yreka.
Recently residents of Siskiyou County attended a sometimes acrimonious meeting to give County supervisors an earful about its negotiations with the tribe. Although the casino would be on trust land, some of the support buildings would be on land under the jurisdiction of the county and the city of Yreka.
The two-phase project would include a casino with 500 slots, two restaurants, a hotel and table games. It would create an estimated 300 jobs.
Governor Jerry Brown has already signed a tribal state gaming compact with the Karuks, but the legislature hasn’t acted on it. That compact gives the County a limited amount of negotiating power with the tribe.
Speakers at the meeting told supervisors that the tribe should provide mitigation for the casino’s effects on law enforcement. Some critics also challenged the tribe’s claim to the land on which the casino will sit.
Karuk Vice Chairman Michael Thom told the group, “We believe this will enhance Yreka and all of Siskiyou County.”
