Station Casinos Gains Another Tribal Partner

MADERA, CA-Station Casinos, a publicly traded operator of casinos in the Las Vegas area, has committed to another tribal partnership, this one with the North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians for a proposed $225-million casino about 25 miles north of Fresno.

Station Casinos has acquired for the tribe two parcels just north of Madera on Highway 99; however, before things can progress, the US Department of the Interior must accept the land into federal trust on behalf of the tribe, the National Indian Gaming Commission must approve the partnership and a gaming compact still must be negotiated with the state. According to the seven-year agreement, Station will receive a management fee equal to 24% of the project’s net income.

It is the company’s fourth such partnership in the past 12 months. In January, Station Casinos entered into an agreement with the Mechoopda Indian Tribe of Chico Rancheria for a project to be located 10 miles southeast of Chico, CA; in November, the Station Casinos entered into a compact with the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians for a development in Allegan County, MI; and last April it came to an agreement with the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria for a gaming and entertainment project north of the Bay Area in Sonoma County, CA.