Local Business · Madera, CA
North Fork Casino Opens in Madera; Chukchansi Suit Awaits Federal Ruling
The North Fork Mono Casino and Resort opened Tuesday afternoon off Highway 99 in Madera, California, with more than 1,000 staff hired. The Picayune Rancheria of the Chukchansi Indians filed its third federal lawsuit since 2012 seeking to halt gaming at the new casino, arguing that California voters' 2014 rejection of a state gaming compact annulled then-Gov. Jerry Brown's required concurrence. Federal Judge Kirk E. Sherriff heard arguments Oct. 9 but has not yet ruled on whether gaming can continue while litigation proceeds. North Fork and operator Station Casinos contend the tribe's gaming eligibility was federally established two years before the voter referendum.