Posted on: Saturday, January 5, 2002

California tribe to build casino near Sacramento

By Don Thompson
Associated Press

SACRAMENTO — A California Indian tribe received the permission it needed yesterday to construct a $100 million Nevada-style casino outside Sacramento, where it is expected to draw gamblers who now head for Reno, Nev.

The U.S. Department of Interior took trust to 49 acres of unincorporated land near Roseville, northeast of Sacramento, on behalf of the United Auburn Indian Community.

Construction may begin this fall and will likely take about a year.

Reno-area casino operators have said they view the casino as perhaps their biggest competitor among the tribal casinos built or pending in Northern California.

However, officials have said the tribe and its Las Vegas-based management partner, Station Casinos Inc., intend to market the casino mainly to the Sacramento area.

Nor will the 200,000-square-foot casino have the look or feel of glitzy Las Vegas or Reno, tribal spokesman Doug Elmets said, but will be designed to fit visually with the surrounding Sierra foothills communities.

Local opposition was muted after the tribe reached voluntary agreements with Placer County and surrounding communities.

The tribe agreed to make up for lost local property taxes, pay $900,000 a year to compensate for increased police, fire and emergency services and contribute $50,000 annually to fight compulsive gambling in the county.