Tribal council head to D.C.
Reyes, Lapere and council meeting with Mccarthy to focus on relocation of EMC
The Porterville City Council authorized Tuesday the travel of councilmember Monte Reyes and Fire Chief Dave Lapere to Washington, D.C. with Tule River Tribe council members to meet with Congressman Kevin Mccarthy regarding the relocation of Eagle Mountain Casino (EMC).
The tribe is proposing to construct a $180200 million, multi-story casino/resort near the Porterville Municipal Airport. If approved, the project would include a 105,000 square foot casino, approximately 250-room hotel, 36,000 square feet of food and lounges, administrative space, 29,000 square foot convention center, a 1,700 seat entertainment center, banquet hall and meeting space and associated parking, including a parking structure.
However, in order to relocate the casino, the tribe must have the 40 acres of land it has near the airport put into federal trust.
Neil Peyron, the chairman for the Tule River Tribe, said at the tribe’s last meeting, which was held in conjunction with the Porterville Chamber of Commerce’s Government Affairs Meeting on Thursday, Feb. 22, that the relocation of the EMC is moving along with an anticipated decision from the federal government expected in July of this year.
Patrice Hildreth, the city’s administrative services director, said the Tule River Tribe has scheduled a meeting with Mccarthy and staff to take place in Washington, D.C. on April 12. She said the council appropriated $5,000 from the Special Purposes Fund for anticipated travel expenses.
Hildreth said the Tule River Tribe has initiated both the federal and state regulatory process toward the relocation of EMC to its 40-acres west of the Porterville Municipal Airport within the City of Porterville.
Hildreth said both Mayor Milt Stowe and Vice Mayor Brian Ward were unable to attend the tribe’s last meeting. She said, however, that both Reyes and Lapere were in attendance.
“During that meeting, the legislative lobbyist that is assisting the tribe with the casino relocation project was quite taken with the comments made by councilmember Reyes and by Fire Chief Lapere,” Hildreth said. “So much so that they wanted to keep that message consistent and so a request was made that councilmember Reyes and Fire Chief Lapere attend with them to advocate for the relocation of the casino and see if they could get any assistance from Mccarthy’s office in that regard.”