Federal law requires states to negotiate a gaming compact with tribal governments to govern class III gaming activities on Indian lands. The compacts, which in California are negotiated by the Governor and ratified by the Legislature, are subject to the approval of the Secretary of the Interior. Of the 107 federally recognized tribes in California, 62 have gaming compacts with the State. All the California compacts since 2004 contain generous revenue sharing provisions for the State General Fund and non-gaming tribes, licensing and gaming regulations, and substantial protections for employees, patrons, and the environment.
In April 2008, Governor Schwarzenegger signed a gaming compact for the proposed casino resort, which represented a significant step forward in the Tribe’s dream of self-sufficiency and a better life for our children and grandchildren. The compact was announced in partnership with Governor Schwarzenegger, the County of Madera, and the Wiyot Tribe of Humboldt County.
The North Fork compact, paired with the related Wiyot Tribe compact is unique in that it serves the economic and environmental interests of two tribes, two local communities and the State of California. Under the compacts, the North Fork Rancheria will pay a percentage of its revenues from the resort casino in Madera to a special revenue sharing trust fund created for the Wiyot Tribe and administered by the State. In exchange for payments from this trust fund, the Wiyot Tribe has agreed not to engage in gaming on its environmentally sensitive lands along Humboldt Bay. Thus, the compacts prevent the construction of gaming facilities on environmentally sensitive lands in the Madera County foothills and the North Coast of California through the establishment of a single gaming facility located in an environmentally appropriate location that enjoys the support of the local community.
At the Tribes' request, the compacts will not be submitted for ratification by the Legislature until the U.S. Secretary of the Interior approves placing the Madera County casino site into trust.
