California: Judge strikes down 30-year Shasta County deal with Redding Rancheria over legal violations

A Shasta County Superior Court judge has ruled that a 30-year agreement between the county’s Board of Supervisors and the Redding Rancheria is illegal, stating the board failed to follow required procedures before approving the deal.

The agreement, signed in July 2023, would have committed the county to provide public safety services to a proposed casino and event center near Interstate 5 in exchange for financial contributions from the tribe.

In his summary judgment issued on July 14, Judge Stephen Baker concluded that the agreement was finalized without proper input from key departments and legal advisors, rendering it unauthorized and unlawful.

“The agreement was not reviewed by the county counsel's office and risk management,” Baker stated. He noted that the sheriff, district attorney, fire chief, county staff, and acting county counsel all opposed the agreement and the process by which it was introduced to the board.

“In doing so, respondent (the county) failed to properly exercise its discretion, and the action of approving the agreement was therefore illegal and not authorized by law,” the judge wrote.

The ruling followed a lawsuit filed in February 2024 by the California Land Stewardship Council, a Sacramento-based organization, which challenged the county’s approval of the financial arrangement. The group alleged that the agreement effectively gave away public funds and bypassed necessary legal safeguards.

Under the now-invalidated deal, the Redding Rancheria would have paid the county $1.6 million in lieu of property taxes and other fees, along with one-time contributions of $1 million each to support law enforcement and fire services.

The agreement also included recurring annual payments based on service calls, $1,000 per law enforcement call, and $10,000 per fire or emergency service call. County officials previously raised concerns that such a pay-per-call model would make annual budgeting unpredictable.

At the time of the vote, then-acting County Counsel Matt McOmber had expressed reservations. “In the event of waiver of the county counsel review, and I can’t speak for risk management, that I cannot guarantee that there are not any legal insufficiencies that have not been resolved,” McOmber warned the board. He later resigned in February 2024 and now serves as the attorney for the city of Rocklin.

Judge Baker’s ruling emphasized that the agreement was developed without consultation with the county departments most affected. Shasta County Sheriff Michael Johnson said he learned of the deal only six days before it went before the board.

“I have not been part of the process, so it came as a shock for me to see such an agreement,” Johnson told supervisors during the July 2023 meeting. District Attorney Stephanie Bridgett also stated that she had not been included in the discussions prior to approval.

The proposed agreement was intended to support the Rancheria’s plan to relocate and expand its Win-River Casino. The development includes a gaming facility, a 250-room hotel, a convention and event center, and parking on approximately 230 acres of farmland west of I-5. The federal government granted necessary approvals in mid-2023, allowing the tribe to proceed with the project.

The Board of Supervisors approved the public safety services agreement in a 4–1 vote. Then-Supervisors Kevin Crye, Chris Kelstrom, Patrick Jones, and Tim Garman supported the deal, while Mary Rickert opposed it.

“I am just really pleased that Judge Baker was able to see the facts as presented in the case and do a fair analysis,” Rickert said on Wednesday. She called the agreement a “travesty for the taxpayers of Shasta County” and reiterated her opposition to the casino’s proposed location near the Sacramento River, citing environmental concerns and alternative sites.

Jones, one of the supervisors who voted in favor of the agreement, criticized the court’s decision.  He argued that the sheriff’s and district attorney’s approval was not legally required and defended the board’s actions. 

Redding Rancheria attorney Michael Hollowell confirmed that the tribe is aware of the ruling and is awaiting the county’s decision on whether to appeal to California’s Third District Court of Appeal. A status conference to determine next steps in the case is scheduled for Friday, August 8, 2025.