County fights back against casino

“Butte County will not stand idly by while massive, new casinos destroy its open space, groundwater, and other natural resources,” Bill Connelly, chairman of the Butte County Board of Supervisors, said in a news release.

The news: The county filed an appeal Wednesday (May 13) of an April U.S. District Court decision to allow the Mechoopda Indian Tribe of Chico Rancheria’s casino project slated for the junction of Highways 99 and 149.

“It’s really disappointing that they’re going to be wasting more taxpayer money on the lawsuit that will ultimately be upheld,” responded Sandra Knight, vice chairwoman of the Mechoopda Tribal Council.

The county’s press release mentioned trying to work with Station Casinos, the entity that would build the casino, to move the project. Knight emphasized, however, that the tribe had written to Connelly himself last month, asking to sit down to mitigate any problems, but had gotten no response. County Counsel Bruce Alpert said the board is willing to meet with the tribe and Station Casinos and will respond to the letter shortly.

“For years, Butte County has told Las Vegas-based Station Casinos to find a new location. Unfortunately, Station Casinos has refused to listen,” Connelly said in the release.

“There’s never going to be a good site,” Knight said.