According to Manuel Hamilton, vice chairman of the Ramona Band of Cahuilla Indians near Anza, "It’s just a shame that the two factions are creating a problem for all tribes in California."
Next week, a vote will be taken on whether to expand casino gambling in California. If approved by the general voters, throughout the state on Feb. 5, the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians in the Coachella Valley, the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians near Temecula, the Morongo Band of Mission Indians near Banning and the Sycuan Band of Kumeyaay Indians near El Cajon will be able to add a combined total of 17,000 slot machines, experts say.
The Pala Band of Mission Indians in northern San Diego County and the United Auburn tribe near Sacramento oppose the expansion.
Casinos since 2000
Voters first approved Las Vegas-style Indian casinos eight years ago in California, and the business has grown into a $7 billion-plus industry. About 60 of the state's 109 tribes have casinos.A few weeks ago, Agua Caliente Chairman Richard Milanovich met with leaders of the Ione Band of Miwok Indians, located in the foothills southeast of Sacramento. Milanovich argued that the deals' defeat would set a bad precedent for the Ione band and others trying to open casinos, said Matthew Franklin, chairman of the Ione tribe.
"Not only do we support the referendum, we support the process of negotiating a compact," Franklin says.
The Augustine Band of Mission Indians in the Coachella Valley is concerned, however, that two tribes are trying to renegotiate compacts negotiated by four other tribes. The Augustine band runs a neighborhood casino with 800 slot machines near Coachella.
"We have issues or concerns about the contents of those compacts, but we'll keep those to ourselves because the tribes have the right to negotiate those compacts," said Michael Lombardi, a gaming commissioner for the Augustine Casino.
Some Indian leaders are worried about fighting in public, while others are seeking their own gambling agreements with the state and do not want to upset Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger or wealthy Southern California gambling tribes by publicly opposing the agreements on the Feb. 5 ballot, experts say.
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