Free-Play Blackjack
Free-Play Table Games
Free-Play Slots
Free-Play Poker
Free-Play Video Poker
500 Nations Casino

Live Dealer

Fed Rejects Viejas-Ewiiaapaayp Joint Casino Venture

#1 Casino Choice of U.S. Players
Blackjack • Slots • Tables • Live Dealer • Video Poker • Crypto
0 $3,000 Casino Welcome Bonus!
0 $3,750 Crypto Welcome Bonus!  BOVADA CASINO
March 25, 2008 ;

SAN DIEGO - The federal government rejected an application last week from the Ewiiaapaayp Band of Kumeyaay Indians to build a large casino on the Viejas reservation near Alpine. The Viejas were to share in the profits.

The Ewiiaapaayp Band of Kumeyaay Indians signed an Indian gaming compact with Governor Schwarzenegger in 2004 to build the casino with unlimited slot machines. At that time the governor was promoting the idea of clustering new casinos onto reservations with existing casinos. This encouraged the Viejas and Ewiiaapaayp to form their joint venture as an alternative to Ewiiaapaayp's original plan to build a casino on the site of a nearby health clinic.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs immediately warned of conflict with federal law, which requires a tribe to control or own the land for their proposed casino. Attorneys for both tribes have spent the past three years seeking a legal solution.

However, to the surprise of the Viejas, the Ewiiaapaayp submitted their application to the U.S. Department of the Interior last week to ratify their compact. The next day it was rejected. Acting deputy assistant secretary George Skibine wrote: "Indian lands described in the (compact) are not now Indian lands of the tribe, and thus cannot be the subject of a compact between the tribe and the state."

Many close to the situation expected the tribe to hold their application until next year when a new administration would appoint a new staff at the Interior Department.

Will Micklin, chief executive officer of the Ewiiaapaayp, said the joint venture "remains an option. Disapproval of the compact doesn't mean we can't do the joint project. It just means the language in the compact was flawed."

Viejas spokesman Bob Scheid said "The Bureau of Indian Affairs has made it clear that this is not a good time to be pushing these issues. So it surprises us that Ewiiaapaayp would go and do this on their own. Why not just hang in there until there is a change in administrations?"

For more information about these tribes:

Ewiiaapaayp Band of Kumeyaay Indians
P.O. Box 2250
4054 Willows Road
Alpine, CA 91903-2250
Office: (619) 445-6315
Fax: (619) 445-9126
Web site: www.LeaningRock.org

Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians
Viejas Tribal Office
1 Viejas Grade Road
Alpine, California 91901
Office: (619) 445-3810
Fax: (619) 445-5337
Web site: www.viejasbandofkumeyaay.org

Return to California Casinos.

Disclaimer: All images are copyright to their respective owners and are used by 500 Nations for informational purposes only.

500 Nations is an independent directory and information service free of any gaming operator's control and not affiliated with any casino.
Warning: You must ensure you meet all age and other regulatory requirements before entering a casino or placing a wager. There are hundreds of jurisdictions in the world with Internet access and hundreds of different games and gambling opportunities available on the Internet. Do not assume that Internet gaming sites are in compliance with the rules and regulations of every jurisdiction from which they accept players. YOU are responsible for determining if it is legal for YOU to play any particular game or place any particular wager under the laws of the jurisdiction where you are located.