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California Casino Plans Move Forward

BARSTOW, California – As reported by the San Bernardino County Sun: "Plans for a $186 million Indian casino-hotel are moving forward, despite previous fears of new state and federal policies governing off-reservation casinos.

"The Chemehuevi tribe wants to apply to the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs by late August to place 40 acres in west Barstow into federal trust for a hotel-casino resort.

"The tribe, whose 32,000-acre reservation fronts the Colorado River in San Bernardino County south of Needles, is one of three tribal groups looking at Barstow for a casino. The others are the Los Coyotes Band of Mission Indians in San Diego County and the Big Lagoon Rancheria tribe of Humboldt County.

"An attorney for the Chemehuevi tribe's development partner, Barstow Enterprises LLC, said Monday that new federal and state policies placing restrictions on Indian tribes seeking off-reservation casinos 'present no problem' for the tribe.

"…Taking the lead in preparing studies to ensure the casino project will have minimal environmental impact, the Chemehuevi tribe is wrapping up an 18-month-long report focusing on water, traffic, air quality and endangered species…"

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