Feinstein cites lack of support for Yuba casino review

U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein cited a lack of public support as the reason the federal Department of the Interior should take another look at Enterprise Rancheria, according to information her office shared Monday.

Feinstein, who inserted the request for a new review into a federal spending bill Friday, felt polling by a group opposed to the casino showed the department's initial analysis of the project was flawed, according to a statement her office issued.

"A recent poll show 72 percent of Californians oppose off-reservation gaming," Feinstein said in the statement. "The same poll shows 67 percent of Medera (sic) County voters oppose a new casino in their community; in Yuba County, opposition stands at 63 percent."

The polling, which was released earlier this month, drew immediate condemnation from casino proponents, who said the questions asked didn't mention economic benefits for the region if the casino was approved and built.

Those proponents released polling of their own from October — in which the potential benefits were highlighted — showing significant support for the casino, which would be built by the Estom Yumeka Maidu tribe based in Oroville on a parcel near Sleep Train Amphitheatre.

Feinstein's request, which called for a 60-day review of the project and subsequent report to Congress, also cited a lack of support among local elected officials.

In the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs' Sept. 1 decision moving the casino forward, the analysis showed a positive response from only one local elected body: The Yuba County Board of Supervisors, which has an existing memorandum of understanding with the sponsoring tribe to address the casino's potential impacts.

Though the city of Marysville has a separate, existing memorandum of understanding, the city mayor is listed in the analysis as not having responded to a 2009 request by the government for comment on the proposal. Marysville Mayor Bill Harris said Monday he didn't recall receiving such a request, but he'd have responded with strong support if he had.

"To me, it's about jobs, and I don't see how you go against that," he said.

Mayors in Yuba City and Live Oak are also listed as not having responded, while Wheatland's city manager and the Sutter County Board of Supervisors are both listed as having responded with opposition.

For Sutter County, the opposition is described in the form of a letter by Supervisor James Gallagher, though Gallagher said Monday his letter represented his views only, and the county board submitted separate comments.

"There's an impact on county roads, but there's no identified mitigation," Gallagher said Monday, noting casino visitors are likely to use Sutter County roads to the site for access. "Sutter County has no agreement."

Gallagher's 2009 letter also refers to a loss of tax revenues for the county if the casino was approved. He said he is concerned stores or restaurants based at the casino won't have to apply sales tax to sales because they're on land held in trust by the tribe.

The lack of sales taxes would be unfair competition for businesses in Sutter County, he said. In the letter, though, Gallagher states he doesn't believe any memorandum of understandng could fully address the impacts from the casino.

Though the request includes a report to Congress by mid-February, it's not clear if doing so would change the stance on the casino by members of the House of Representatives whose district includes the casino.

U.S. Rep. Wally Herger, a casino opponent, represents the area now and has said because the federal government already weighed in, he felt the casino was now a state issue for Gov. Jerry Brown to decide. Herger's  office did not return a call seeking comment Monday.

A casino supporter, U.S. Rep. John Garamendi, would represent the region under redistricting if he's re-elected next year. He also did not return a call for comment Monday.

CONTACT reporter Ben van der Meer at 749-4786.