The Coyote Valley Band of Pomo Indians in Northern California has proposed moving its existing Coyote Valley Shodakai Casino into a new building a constructing single family homes where it is now.
The new casino would have 25 more slot machines and the restaurant would expand to 125 seats, an addition of 75. It may also include a hotel.
The tribe seeks to build the houses with federal housing funds.
The tribe is currently in negotiations with the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors for a government to government agreement. A sticking point is whether the tribe will pay a transient occupancy tax in case it opens a hotel. The tribe may seek arbitration if the County insists on this tax, says an attorney for the tribe.
The tribe’s position is that the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) doesn’t allow states or local governments to impose taxes on a tribe.
Despite this glitch, the two parties are largely in agreement over most issues of off-reservation mitigations, including an agreement for police services.
