A groundbreaking ceremony took place in April, but real construction began this week.
The Estom Yumeka Maidu Tribe of Enterprise Rancheria started construction on their 140,000 square foot Fire Mountain Casino this week. The California tribal gaming complex finally appears to be a reality after 15 years of delays and political infighting.
After a February court ruling, the Enterprise Rancheria have confidence enough in the future of their gaming rights that they have begun construction on their long-awaiting casino destination. Better put, their financiers are confident enough in the process that the Enterprise Rancheria have the funds to begin construction.
About Fire Mountain Casino
Fire Mountain Casino is expected to be a 50,000 square foot gaming space on a 40-acre stretch of land near Yuba City. The remaining square footage is expected to contain a 170-room hotel & pool, conference facilities, gift shops, and restaurants and bars.
The casino is set to be build near Yuba City, California in the coming months. When completed, the operation is going to be within sight of the 18,500-seat Toyota Amphitheatre in Yuba City.
Class II or Class III?
The tribe does not have a Class III license for gaming yet, so it plans to open a Class II gaming facility. The gaming venue is going to feature bingo games and non-banked card games, which are allowable under Class II laws.
In February 2016, U.S. District Judge Troy Nunle ordered California to negotiate a Class III gaming contract with the tribe. Class III is the Las Vegas-style gaming, which would be the full package of gambling facilities: slot machines, banked table games like blackjack and roulette, and a poker room. Until then, Class II gaming — based on the bingo game mechanic — is possible.
The Entreprise Rancheria Tribe
The Estom Yumeka Maidu Tribe of Enterprise Rancheria is negotiating service contracts with a number of service providers in the area, including the Wheatland Fire Authority. The WFA is going to provide emergency coverage at the site, according to Wheatland fire chief Joe Waggershauser.
Fire Chief Waggerschauser told the Marysville Appeal-Democrat, “The goal is to try to provide excellent protection for them without adversely impacting the district that we already serve.”
Spring 2017 Grand Opening
The gaming operation is expected to open for business sometime in April or May 2017. In the meantime, the tribe is expected to seek a full license under the state’s gaming compact. The long process has been fraught with controversy, due to opposition from rival Native American tribes.
The Native American casino interests of California have become wealthy and influential over the past two decades, so they have been able to squelch the ambitions of rival tribes through political influence.
Glenda Nelson the Tribe’s Plans
Despite the opposition of other Native American gaming interests in the region, Estom Yumeka Maidu Tribe Of Enterprise Rancheria tribal council chairperson Glenda Nelson struck a defiant tone when talking about the development to the Appeal-Democrat.
Glenda Nelson said, “We think that we’ll be able to open in April or May of next year, and hopefully by then everything will be resolved. We’re going to build and we’re going to open.”
Nelson said the tribe would use its own treatment facility for the venue’s wastewater, at least until the 9-mile OPUD pipeline is built. The OPUD pipeline is being built to link to the nearby Beale Air Force Base, but the pipeline is expected to take many years to complete.
In reference to the pipeline, Nelson said, “I’m sure it will be built, but we don’t know how long that will be.”
Thunder Valley Casino
The Fire Mountain Casino will be located about 30 miles from Thunder Valley Casino. Because the Fire Mountain gaming is expected to affect the business of Thunder Valley Casino, nearby tribal interests have opposed the building of Fire Mountain for well over a decade.
That led to years of litigation. Both tribes engaged in public relations campaigns and, to this day, still engage in a PR contest. The construction of Fire Mountain is not only a chance for the Enterprise Rancheria Indians to move ahead with their long-awaited gaming venue, but it is also an opportunity to tell their story to the local and statewide residents.
Litigation and lobbying takes a lot of money, which is why the established tribes are often successful in ending other tribes’ attempts to break into the gaming industry. Even if the Fire Mountain Casino houses only certain forms of gambling at first, the existence of the revenue stream is an important piece of the puzzle. With the money from the bingo games and non-banked card games, the Enterprise Rancheria will have money for any legal and political battles which lay ahead.
