The owners of Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino plan to fight a recent federal approval of a proposed Indian casino off of Highway 99 north of Madera.
In a statement, Reggie Lewis, tribal chairman of the Picayune Rancheria of the Chukchansi Indians, said the decision by the Interior Department last week opens the doors to "unrestricted off-reservation gaming across the United States."

The North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians has been working since 2005 to build the casino on 305 acres located about 40 miles from its foothill home near North Fork. It would include a 200-room hotel and up to 2,500 slot machines.
The North Fork Rancheria maintains the land between Avenues 17 and 18 is part of the tribe's "historical area." Assistant Interior Secretary Larry Echo Hawk announced the decision Friday.

“For years, this project has been vehemently opposed by local, state and federal officials and Mr. Echo Hawk has received dozens of letters from elected officials to that effect," Lewis said in his statement.  "For Mr. Echo Hawk to now claim that North Fork has ‘historical connections’ to the proposed gaming site is just not true — and he knows that.” 

The state must now sign off on the casino plans.
“We strongly urge Governor Brown to reject this ill-conceived project,” Lewis said, adding that the Picayune Rancheria will continue fighting the project "through all means available to our tribe."