Wilton Rancheria, a Sacramento, California Tribe that owns the Sky River Casino, has purchased the 20 acres adjacent to its property, according to a local news report. The Tribe said the purchased land, north of the casino, is currently zoned for retail and commercial uses.
Wilton Rancheria Chairman Jesus Tarango told local news, “Today, as we embark on this historic land purchase, we honor not only our past, but also the future. In acquiring this land, we sow the seeds of prosperity for seven generations to come.”
Wilton Rancheria officials told local news that plans for the land have not been finalized. However, following the casino’s groundbreaking two years ago, the group revealed plans to eventually “add a 300-room hotel, as well as a pool, spa and entertainment center to the property near Highway 99.”
Sky River welcomed its first guests in August 2022. The casino features 100,000 square feet of gaming space.
In other state news, the California Attorney General’s Office recently reviewed two proposed ballot initiatives, Prop 26 and Prop 27, that would allow established sole-entity Tribes in California to function as sports betting operators around the state.
Both initiatives have been published on the AG’s website.
However, the California Nations Indian Gaming Association pushed back against both proposals, citing the state government failed to reach out to the association for its input.
The California Nations Indian Gaming Association said in a statement that it is “deeply disappointed that the sponsors of the two recently filed initiatives did not first reach out to the State’s largest Tribal gaming association for consultation and input.”
The organization said that they were made aware of the initiatives after they were posted online and encouraged lawmakers to “engage rather than dictate” with the community next time.
