Court rules approval for casino was invalid

COARSEGOLD — The California Court of Appeal has ruled in favor of the Picayune Rancheria of the Chukchansi Indians, finding that the Governor’s approval for the proposed North Fork casino project in Madera County was invalid from the beginning.

In its decision, the court concluded that the Governor’s 2012 concurrence for the project never had legal effect because California voters rejected it through Proposition 48 in 2014. The court rejected arguments that the issue was technical or moot, making clear that the legality of the approval still matters.

“This ruling confirms what we have said all along, the approval was never valid,” said Chairwoman Tracey Hopkins of the Picayune Rancheria of the Chukchansi Indians. “California voters spoke clearly, and the court affirmed that their decision must be respected.”