Eagle River Casino Restaurant
Gov. gives final approval for Eagle Mountain Casino to relocate from reservation land above Springville to 40 acres near the Porterville airport
PORTERVILLE – The Tule Indian Tribe’s casino is coming down the mountain.
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On Aug. 4, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a tribal-state gaming compact with the tribe east of Porterville which also included his concurrence with the Department of the Interior’s decision to allow land in Porterville to be placed in trust allowing the Tribe to relocate Eagle Mountain Casino. The governor’s concurrence and compact (along with the State Legislature’s ratification) are the final approvals needed to authorize the relocation of the casino from the Tule Indian Reservation above Springville to the 40-acre plot near the Porterville airport, 15 miles off reservation land.
“These recent approvals represent the culmination of decades of hard work and perseverance and we are pleased that the governor recognized the substantial benefits of the project for the community.” Tule River Council Chairman Neil Peyron said.
The governor’s signature marks the end of a 20-year journey to bring the Relocation Project Site into trust, which has been widely supported by the community and local governments alike.
“We appreciate all of the support we have received and are proud of our rewarding partnerships with the city of Porterville, Tulare County and the State of California – each of whom were critical in making the relocation project a reality,” Peyron said.
The Tribe will now move forward with obtaining financing to construct the $180 million casino-resort which includes 1,750 gaming machines and double the number of table games and poker tables. The 20,000-square foot complex would include a 250-room hotel and a convention center/entertainment venue and is estimated to create 400 construction jobs and 300 or more full time and part time casino operation jobs. The Tribe has also entered into intergovernmental agreements with Porterville and Tulare County to address any impacts of the Relocation Project and to provide funding for various governmental services. The new casinto is projected for completion in 2021.
“We look forward to what the future holds for our tribe and the surrounding communities,” Peyron shared.
The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) generally prohibits gaming activities on lands acquired on behalf of a tribe after Oct. 17, 1988. One exception, known as the “Secretarial Determination” or “two-part determination” permits a tribe to conduct gaming off reservation land if it is in the best interest of the tribe and its members and if it is not detrimental to the surrounding community. The first of the two-part determination happened on Oct. 7, 2019 when the assistant secretary for the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), part of the Department of Interior, signed a record of decision (ROD) and issued a secretarial determination giving the Tule Tribe its blessing for the relocation.
“The record demonstrates the proposed project will be in the best interest of the Tribe and its members,” wrote Tara Sweeney, assistant secretary of Indian Affairs. “It will increase the available on-reservation water supply, strengthen the tribal government, and create jobs.”
In January, Peyron told the Tulare County Board of Supervisors that moving the casino off the reservation will mean more water for new homes. Currently the Tribe has a moratorium on new housing due to water restrictions, which has caused 300 families to be put on a waiting list for a home. Charles Farmer, director of HR for Eagle Mt. Casino since 2001, said if the casino wasn’t allowed to move, Eagle Mt. would have had to drastically reduce its workforce by one third.
The Economic Impact Analysis estimates the proposed project would generate $103.6 million in new annual revenue, create 1,200 temporary construction jobs, approximately 978 permanent jobs.
The 20,000-square foot convention space, 9,000-square foot divisible ballroom, and other breakout rooms, will make the proposed project ideal for conferences, conventions, and other business events. In addition, the proposed project will have a 1,700-seat entertainment venue that would host shows, as well as cultural and other events for the Tribe. The addition of the hotel, conference space, and event center to the casino will encourage increased tourism in and around Porterville.
On Jan. 7, the Tulare County Board of Supervisors approved a memorandum of understanding (MOU) and intergovernmental agreement with the Tule River Indian Tribe to address local impacts related to the proposed relocation of the Eagle Mountain Casino to land adjacent to the Porterville Airport. Tule River Tribal Council adopted the MOU at their meeting on Dec. 30, 2019 meeting.
Under the agreement, the tribe agrees to pay $3.5 million for Sheriff’s law enforcement services, with $1 million due within 30 days of opening and the rest paid in 12 quarterly payments beginning on the second anniversary of opening day. The tribe also agrees to a one-time payment of $196,000 towards a fire engine and related equipment to be housed at Tulare County Fire Station 19 in Porterville. The proposed relocation project will also include a new tertiary water treatment facility and a fire station at the casino site with the capability to assist the City and County on emergency calls. If a fire station is not constructed, the tribe will make annual payments of $48,667 for fire service. The tribe will also pay an additional $550,000 per year for ongoing public safety equipment and maintenance, road maintenance and traffic control costs, and mental health services costs.
The agreement will also include fair share contributions toward road projects including intersection improvements, traffic signals and roundabouts. The tribe will be asked to fund 7% of the cost to signalize the intersections of Avenue 256 and Spruce and Rockford Road and Highway 190, as well as 59.5% of the cost to rehabilitate Teapot Dome Avenue.
The Tule River reservation was established in 1873 in Porterville, Ca. Tribal enrollment is just over 1900 and the reservation spans approximately 55,356 acres. The Tule River Yokut Tribe operates the Tule River Health Center, Justice Center, and many tribal services within the reservation. The tribe also owns and operates gas stations, restaurants, and other entities under the TREDC (Tule River Economic Development Corporation).
For more information, please contact Casino General Manager, Matthew Mingrone at 559-788-1891 or [email protected]
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