California: Cache Creek Casino Resort expansion moves forward

Located in Brooks, off Highway 16, the casino is owned by the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation and is situated on federally owned land that is held in trust for the Tribe.

Tribe representatives proposed earlier this year the addition of 459 suites to their existing 200-room resort, which opened in 2004. The suites would be a part of a new nine-story hotel tower to be built at the south end of the main resort building. A new 100,000-gallon pool and lounge area would be developed nearby along with a 13,350-square-foot ballroom able to accommodate up to 1,325 guests, an additional 9,475-square-foot dining space, 118 new parking stalls, and an 102,956-square-foot expansion to its “back-of-house” space.

In the project’s initial outline, its authors emphasized that the new construction would be “entirely on the Trust Land,” minimizing its “off reservation” footprint. It further noted that the existing hotel has been operating at capacity since it opened and that, particularly on weekends, many guests are unable to extend their visits due to a lack of lodging. The proposed expansion would address this issue.

Upon receiving notice of the project by Tribe representatives, Yolo County staff responded with concerns about its potential effects on traffic and additional groundwater consumption. According to County spokeswoman Beth Gabor, the information and invitation to comment was provided by the Tribe as more of a courtesy since “the County does not have a regulatory or approval role for projects occurring on Tribal lands held in trust by the federal government.”

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The Tribe released a draft Tribal Environmental Impact Report on Sept. 23, with the results of an initial analysis conducted to address the county’s concerns as well as other possible negative environmental effects that the project could yield

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According to County Legislative and Government Affairs Specialist Alexander Tengolics, the TEIR has put many of the county’s fears to rest.

“From a cursory analysis, the TEIR does not find the project to generate many significant impacts and as such there are few corresponding mitigation measures,” Tengolics explained. “The most notable proposed mitigation would be the installation of slow vehicle turnouts along both sides of SR-16.”

The turnouts would be constructed in each direction on Highway 16 between the Resort and County Road 85, between the Esparto town limits and County Road 89, between County Road 89 and the I-105 freeway ramps, and between the I-505 and County Road 89 ramps. The turnouts would be put in place to mitigate increased traffic during the project’s construction and after the expansion is complete as a greater number of guests may be traveling on the road to and from the Resort.

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The analysis did not find that the project would have significant impacts on groundwater usage, air quality, or noise. Additionally, it found that off-reservation land use plans, population growth, housing availability, agricultural resources, and recreation and park facilities were unlikely to be affected

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The project’s Notice of Completion and Draft TEIR are available cachecreekteir.com for review. The County and public are welcome to comment on the documents at any time during a 45-day period ending on Nov. 7. According to the project’s website, all of the comments must be submitted in writing and by mail to: Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation, 18960 Puhkum Road, P.O. Box 18, Brooks, 95606.

There will also be a public meeting to solicit comments on the Draft TEIR scheduled for 5 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 13, at the Yocha Dehe Golf Club, at 14455 Highway 16 in Brooks.

Results from the upcoming comment period could keep the ball rolling on the project as it is currently proposed, cause it to progress under a reduced intensity alternative, or put a stop to the expansion entirely. The reduced intensity alternative would include a 399-room hotel, a 13,350-square-foot ballroom, 9,475 square-feet of additional dining space, and 102,956 square-feet of additional back-of-house space.

If the project successfully passes its remaining hurdles, construction is expected to begin in early 2017.