It’s a happy day for the Picayune Rancheria of Chukchansi Indians, which got the go-ahead from the National Indian Gaming Commission to reopen its long-troubled Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino. The 
NIGC was feeling so generous, in fact, that it suspended a $19 million fine, Chukchansi so long as the casino remains in compliance with commission regulations. The tribe also got a bailout from its bondholders. Although the Chukchansi are at least $12 million in arrears to them, the bondholders arranged $35 million in supplementary financing to cover the cost of reopening the casino, the target date for which is sometime in January. That means 1,000 new jobs in 2016.
If “anything occurs to threaten the health and safety of the facility or its patrons and employees,” the tribe’s deal with the NIGC is off. As Madera County Supervisor Tom Wheeler said, “It’s kind of a Christmas present for Madera County, the community and tribal members.” Although all 15 felony cases stemming from a violent, October 2014 clash over control of the casino have been disposed of, that doesn’t mean all is peace and love on the Chukchansi reservation. Dissidents known as “distributees” want to keep the casino closed and kick 17 out of every 18 tribal members off the voting rolls. They’re promising to take the matter to U.S. District Court, which could throw a wrench into the works of reopening Chukchansi Gold.
It’s basically a power struggle involving two Chukchansi families against the tribal government, and the the casino has become a pawn in the battle. The distributees continue to occupy buildings near the casino and are suing to keep guns nearby as well. (A 1,000-foot, gun-free radius has been imposed.) Sounds like just the thing that will get Chukchansi Gold in trouble again.
* The Massachusetts Gaming Commission may have tipped its hand on the undecided Region C casino and it looks good for the Mashpee Wampanoag. MGC ombudsman John Ziemba praised the speed with which the tribe was forming its own gaming commission and said, “The bottom line is that it’s going very well so far.” The tribe plans to break ground on its Project First Light next year, whether or not it gets one of the three state licenses. If the MGC doesn’t choose the Mashpee Wampanoag for the final license, it also kisses goodbye any tax revenue from tribal gambling, so there’s a hefty economic incentive to choose the Taunton project.
* It was only natural that the Higbee’s Building in Cleveland, aka Horseshoe Cleveland, would be the perfect home for A Christmas Story 
slot machines. But management underestimated just how much of a hit it would have on its hands. It started with four slots but, thanks to customer demand, has bought 16 more. Over in Pennsylvania, an Allentown game inventor struck gold with Switch Hands, a blackjack variant that has been adopted by no less than Sands Bethlehem, the state’s leading home for table games. Game developer Stephen Berkowitz had already won Casino Journal‘s “Best New Table Game” award for Switch Hands in 2014 and “Wizard of Odds” Mike Shackleford said of the game, “I’m surprised someone has not done this before.” If Sands Bethlehem picks up your game, that’s impressive accolade on your resume.
