The Jamul Action Committee also maintains that the land on which the casino was built is not a reservation under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Indian Affairs recognizes Jamul Indian Village as a tribe, but one lawsuit contends that it is not. That committee met last month to a standing-room only crowd to give an update on five outstanding state or federal lawsuits involving the tribe and/or the casino. The most outspoken opposition has come from members of the Jamul Action Committee. The surrounding community is never going to accept it, but we’ll do the best we can. “We’re not going to change everybody’s mind,” she said. Pinto said the tribe is well aware of all the issues opponents have raised over the last two decades in trying to stop the casino from being built. “I advise motorists to not gamble with their lives and stay away.” “The state is permitting it to go forward at the expense of public safety,” Jacob said. She said the improvements were a part of the agreement Caltrans reached with Jamul Indian Village in 2009. Jacob said Caltrans is failing the public by allowing the casino to open without all the badly needed road improvements in place. Hollywood Casino is expected to add 9,000 vehicle trips to the area each day, a 50 percent jump from current traffic trends. She said since 2014, about 50 collisions have occurred along Highway 94 near the venue. Supervisor Jacob said she remains concerned about the casino’s state alcohol license, currently an interim operating permit, especially as it relates to traffic on rural state Route 94. At the end of September, Pinto said she received a call from the National Indian Gaming Commission in Washington to let her know that the casino had gotten a final federal approval to open. The tribe had been prepared for casino customers in August but several delays pushed back the opener. Marine veteran who served two tours in Vietnam, looked out from one of the restaurants that affords mountainous views toward Tecate and said, “You’re standing in my back yard.”Ī cemetery with their Kumeyaay ancestors is next to the casino near tribal headquarters. “Then we started the serious talk in the ’90s when we started seeking developers. “Kenny was the chair in the ’80s when it was a dream,” Pinto recalled. He remembered when there were 13 homes belonging to tribal members on the property. She pointed to her uncle, Kenny Meza, who was the tribal chairman more than 30 years ago, and is now 70 years old.

“Small tribe, big dreams,” she said of the 61-member Jamul Indian Village. Pinto said she was “honored to have been passed the baton and carry it across the finish line” for her ancestors and relatives.

Hollywood jamul casino opening