ELK GROVE, CA.—Gov. Jerry Brown today signed a tribal-state gaming compact between the State of California and Wilton Rancheria, solidifying a government-to-government partnership and marking a major milestone in the Tribe’s progress toward self-sufficiency.
 
“We are excited and grateful to the governor for his leadership in this effort,” said Wilton Rancheria Chairman Raymond C. Hitchcock. “This is an important day for our people. We waited 58 years for our land to be restored and, now, we can look forward to moving ahead toward self-sufficiency, economic development and giving back to the community.”
 
The compact represents an important step in Wilton Rancheria’s plans to build a resort and casino in Elk Grove.  The agreement provides for strong regulatory oversight, labor, licensing, public health and safety, environmental protection, and community investment provisions found within other recent compacts. 
 
Wilton Rancheria’s tribal status was terminated in 1958, and the Tribe was finally restored, without land, in 2009, after a long-fought campaign by tribal elders. On Feb.10, 2017, the U.S. Department of the Interior placed 35.92 acres of land in Elk Grove into federal trust as restored land for the Tribe, and last week, the Acting Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs upheld the Department's decision to place the Tribe's land into trust.  
 
The resort and casino project will create thousands of jobs and the Tribe has agreed to invest $186 million in the first 20 years of the project with the City of Elk Grove and Sacramento County to support police, schools, roads and other services.
 
In addition to a long-term investment in the community, the project will enable to Tribe to invest in medical care, housing and educational opportunities for its members.
 
About Wilton Rancheria
Wilton Rancheria is the only federally recognized tribe in Sacramento County. In November 2011, the Tribe adopted its modern Constitution, and since that time, tribal leadership has worked to improve the lives of its members and positively serve the community from its offices in Elk Grove.

 

Contact

Bob Magnuson--Townsend Calkin Tapio Public Affairs
(o) 916.551.2525; (c) 949.290.9382
bob@tctpa.com; www.tctpa.com