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Casino Plans Halted by Amador Lawsuit

Plans to build a 67-acre, 950-slot machine casino near Ione have hit a snag after it was alleged that the site on which it was to be built did not constitute proper tribal land.

According to Friends of Amador County, an anti-casino group operating in the area, the American Indians who once lived there were never a tribe with a common language or history and the tribal casino should therefore not gain federal approval.

The suit filed by the group has demanded that the approval previously granted by the courts to the Buena Vista Rancheria of Me-Wuk Indians to build their casino be overturned by a judge unless they can prove the legitimacy of their tribal ancestry.

However, the Me-Wuk tribal representatives have since pointed out that the federal government has recognised them as a tribe since 1985 and have criticized the Amador group for being a small organisation opposed to economic growth in the country,

“The allegations of the lawsuit appear to mirror those of the one filed by the County of Amador against the Interior Department, which was dismissed by the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C.," a statement issued by the tribe read, adding. "We expect the same result for this lawsuit.”