Joshua Tree — Poll results on Tuesday showed two-thirds of California voters oppose off-reservation casinos, which may indicate future hurdles for a planned Joshua Tree casino.
The Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians, which owns Spotlight 29 Casino in Coachella, wants to build a 20,000-square-foot facility along Highway 62 on 90 acres of non-reservation land the tribe purchased in 2007.
But the poll's results lean more in favor of the 20 percent of Joshua Tree residents who signed a petition opposing the project because of its potential impact on the High Desert's rural atmosphere.
Yucca Valley resident Jared Baker, who did not participate in the poll, said Tuesday he is worried the casino may increase traffic on Highway 62 and create crime that trickles into his community, which is less than 10 miles from Joshua Tree.
However, he conceded the casino could increase spending in local communities and have a positive effect on the High Desert.
“Unfortunately, you can't predict the future,” said Baker, 67. “It could be good or bad. You'd never know until after it's built and reality sets in.”
Tribe officials did not return repeated requests Tuesday for comment about the poll's findings.
Development can't move forward without approval from the U.S. Department of Interior and California Gov. Jerry Brown because the casino would be off reservation land.
But pollster Jim Moore Methods of Sacramento found that 72 percent of Californians polled are against off-reservation casinos and the same number believe voters — not Brown or the federal government — should decide the issue.
The poll, commissioned by anti- casino group Stand Up for California, asked 800 voters statewide and 300 voters each in Yuba and Madera counties whether tribes should be able to build casinos in populated areas away from more isolated reservation lands.
The Department of Interior signed off on two California tribes' plans.
The Enterprise Rancheria of Maidu Indians are planning a casino 36 miles from their Butte County headquarters near Sacramento, and the North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians in Madera County want to build on 305 acres nearly 40 miles from their base.