When Norma Inabinette speaks to the Tulare County Board of Supervisors Tuesday to discuss the proposed relocation of the Tule River Indian Casino, she says she hopes things will be different. 

"I hope that they will listen, I really do," she said. 

Inabinette was among a handful of people opposed to the relocation of the tribe's casino who appeared before the board in October during what was supposed to be an informational hearing to discuss the effects of the proposed move on areas adjacent to the reservation, what is called the "off-site impact." 

Consumed with emotion over the casino's controversial proposed move from a secluded location 13 miles off Highway 190 to a more prominent spot on reservation land just off Highway 190 near Lake Success, many testifying in support of the move talked without interruption about such matters as how the tribe and the reservation need the additional revenue a new, larger casino would provide. 

Opponents cry foul
But when opponents of the proposed move spoke in the hearing's second hour, Chairman Jim Maples insisted that only the "off-site impact" was an appropriate topic for discussion.
Inabinette says she was interrupted twice in the first 15 minutes that she spoke.
After much protest, Maples said the board would hold another two-hour informational meeting this week.
"I think it was just a tactical error on their part," Inabinette said.
The supervisors say the only thing they want to hear about Tuesday is the effect the casino's proposed move would have on the county. That, the supervisors say, failed to come out of the previous hearing.
This time, opponents will speak first. In October, they spoke last.
Inabinette is a Springville resident and member of Citizens for a Quality Environment, a group of about 35 people who oppose the casino's proposed move, she said.
The group has more information relating to off-site effects, she said, but noted the group will be discussing the effect of something that hasn't been built yet.
"It's not there yet, so how can we really know?" she said. "If every other casino that's been built has given the community problems, then we ought to listen."
What's proposed 

The proposed Tule River Indian Resort and Casino would be almost 100,000 square feet. It would provide a casino, a conference center, a hotel and a bingo hall that would double as an entertainment center.
The Tule River Tribe has the legal right to conduct gaming on reservation land, which includes the land held in trust for the tribe, such as the proposed site for its new casino. 

But before the tribe can relocate its gaming facility to the trust land located on Highway 190, it must gain the approval of the Interior Department in Washington with concurrence from the governor. 

nsult with local officials to determine what off-site effects may result from the relocation of the gaming facility.
Maples said the tribal council has asked supervisors to support the casino relocation. 

Samuel Cohen, general counsel for the Tule River Tribal Council told the board Nov. 4 that if it wanted to hear additional comment from opponents of the proposed casino move, the tribe had no objections. 

Inabinette said opponents of the move plan to ask the board to delay any kind of vote on the casino's move until they learn Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's position. 

She said they will also ask supervisors to place a referendum on the March ballot asking Tulare County residents what they think of the move.