North Fork Mono Casino opens in California while rival tribe's federal lawsuit remains unresolved

The $750 million North Fork Mono Casino & Resort in Madera County, California, began admitting customers on October 27, one day ahead of schedule. The property is owned by the North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians and run by Station Casinos, a subsidiary of Red Rock Resorts. Hundreds of people attended the opening celebrations, among them tribal members who were among the first to walk through the doors.

The opening follows decades of legal and regulatory hurdles. Tribal leaders describe the casino as a key income source that can reduce reliance on government assistance and support long-term economic development. The project has so far hired more than 1,000 employees, while earlier estimates put its total employment impact at over 1,500 jobs. A hotel and a gas station are among the further development plans.

The resort sits on roughly 300 acres along Highway 99. Its gaming floor has more than 2,400 slot machines and 40 table games, and a high-limit area adds 138 slots, 10 table games, a private bar and a dedicated cashier. Visitors have eight restaurants and four bars to choose from, including Manzanita Steakhouse, which lists more than 250 wines, and Clubhouse 99, which has over 56 big-screen televisions and more than 20 beers on tap.

The casino's legal footing is still contested. The Picayune Rancheria of the Chukchansi Indians, which operates the nearby Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino, is asking a federal court for a temporary restraining order that would bar gambling at the new site. It is also pursuing claims against Station Casinos and the National Indian Gaming Commission. US District Judge Kirk E. Sherriff heard arguments on October 9 and has not yet ruled.

At the center of the dispute is whether North Fork retains the state approvals needed to run a casino on land held in federal trust. Former Governor Jerry Brown supported a 2012 federal determination that the land was eligible for gaming. California voters, however, rejected legislation approving the tribe's gaming compact in 2014, and a state appellate court later held that the referendum also voided Brown's concurrence. The California Supreme Court declined to review that decision in April 2026.

Picayune argues the ruling removes the legal basis for gambling at the Madera location. North Fork maintains that its federal gaming approvals remain valid and has moved to dismiss the latest complaint. The September filing is Picayune's third federal attempt in about 14 years to stop the project; the earlier ones failed, though the tribe says the recent state court outcome strengthens its position.