Following nearly two decades of legal disputes, regulatory hurdles, and opposition, the Ione Band of Miwok Indians is making significant progress toward realizing its long-planned casino development in Amador County, California. The tribe recently secured a $110 million construction loan from Gaming and Leisure Properties Inc. (GLPI), a Pennsylvania-based real estate investment trust, to fund the building of the Acorn Ridge Casino. This new 60,000-square-foot casino will be located on 228 acres of tribal trust land in Plymouth, roughly 40 miles southeast of Sacramento.

Acorn Ridge casino: features and development partnership:

The financing arrangement, finalized late in 2024, includes a delayed-draw term loan with an option to convert into a long-term lease agreement ranging between 25 and 45 years. This milestone represents more than just capital; it symbolizes a partnership grounded in trust and shared vision for tribal self-determination and economic sustainability.

Ione Tribal Chairperson Sara Dutschke emphasized the significance of the deal, stating, “The Tribe found a partner in GLPI who placed their trust in the Tribe, supporting our efforts toward self-determination and self-sufficiency through the financing of the construction of Acorn Ridge Casino, a Tribal enterprise two decades in the making. We hope this structure provides new long-term financing opportunities for tribes across the nation.”

Slated to open in spring 2026, Acorn Ridge Casino will offer 349 slot machines, 10 table games, a full-service restaurant and bar, and an outdoor venue for entertainment. Although the tribe’s compact with the state permits future growth up to 1,200 slot machines, current plans do not include hotel or resort facilities. The project is being developed in collaboration with Warner Gaming, a Las Vegas-based firm experienced in tribal casino ventures in Washington and New Mexico.

Decades of legal challenges and tribal history:

The road to this point has been marked by intense opposition and complex litigation. For more than 18 years, anti-casino coalitions and various local entities challenged the Ione Band’s right to operate a Class III gaming facility under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. These challenges effectively stalled progress, despite the U.S. Department of the Interior’s approval of the tribe’s land-into-trust application in March 2020 — itself the culmination of a 13-year process.

The tribe’s roots in Amador County extend back to the mid-1800s, when the California Gold Rush disrupted Native lands and communities. The Miwok people endured displacement, with survivors living in makeshift camps and working as laborers on nearby ranches. It was not until the latter part of the 20th century that the tribe sought and received federal recognition in 1994, a critical step enabling gaming rights.

After gaining recognition, the tribe initiated plans for the casino in 2000. The land-into-trust designation in 2023 partially removed the site from state jurisdiction, granting the tribe greater autonomy over land use, taxation, and gaming operations. However, local governments, residents, and competing gaming interests mounted legal challenges citing the 2009 Supreme Court ruling in Carcieri v. Salazar, which limited trust land placements to tribes under federal jurisdiction at the enactment of the Indian Reorganization Act in 1934.

In response, courts reviewed the Ione Band’s history of federal interactions, including land acquisitions and legal proceedings dating to the mid-1800s. A 2017 Ninth Circuit ruling affirmed the tribe’s restored status and eligibility under the IRA, upholding the land-into-trust decision. The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the final appeal in April 2024, effectively clearing the path for the tribe’s casino plans.

For Chairperson Dutschke, the Acorn Ridge Casino represents far more than a gaming facility. She told The Sacramento Business Journal, “This wasn’t just about building a casino. It was about restoring land and creating economic opportunities for our people.” The project signals a new chapter of economic empowerment and self-sufficiency for the Ione Band of Miwok Indians, transforming decades of struggle into tangible growth.