A group of current and former members of the Upper Lake Rancheria Band of Pomo Indians announced that they are against their tribe's proposal to build a casino at Interstate 80, saying that the tribe leaders' interest in the property is strictly based on what they believe to be a profitable area.

The Indians say that they have no historical ties to Yolo County and that their aboriginal territory is Lake County. Leaders of the Pomo Indians argue that this group is uneducated about their roots, claiming that they have conducted extensive research that proves they are entitled to the land.

The Upper Lake Rancheria Band of Pomo Indians purchased an option on 67 acres of land near the Sacramento River. The Pomo Indians, backed by out-of-state investors, plan to build a casino and 400-room hotel there.

The tribe claims to be a landless tribe with historical roots in Yolo County, but community groups argue that the tribe's roots are questionable. For the proposal to be approved, the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs must declare the proposed casino land a sovereign nation of the Pomo Indians, which could take up to a year.

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