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California Tribe Fights for New Gambling Agreement

SACRAMENTO, California – As reported by the San Diego Union-Tribune: "Frustrated and angry at the Legislature's refusal to approve its new gambling agreement, an Imperial County Indian tribe is preparing to go around state lawmakers for permission to expand its casino.

"The Quechan tribe will ask the Schwarzenegger administration to grant it the same terms as a compact approved last year for the Fort Mojave tribe or face a federal lawsuit, Quechan's attorney said.

"The move could drag the state into uncharted legal territory and represents the first time any tribe has attempted to invoke the 'most favored tribe' clause in compacts signed by former Gov. Gray Davis in 1999.

"That clause gives tribes the right to request – and compels the state to grant – more desirable terms later given to any other tribe. A tribe would have to accept all of the preferred compact, although the revised agreement could run no longer than the time left on the 20-year deals signed in 1999.

"…The 3,200-member Quechan tribe has a 45,000-acre reservation straddling the California-Arizona border. The tribe operates small casinos in both states, but wants to build a larger facility with up to 1,100 slot machines along Interstate 8.

"A compact that authorized Quechan's plans came under fire this summer from wealthy, politically powerful tribes who persuaded the Legislature not to ratify it. Lawmakers also declined to consider three other compacts, including one for the Los Coyotes band of east San Diego County…"

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