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The recently completed deal between Western Mono Indians' Big Sandy Band of Western Mono Indians and Caesars Entertainment could bring millions of dollars to the tribe, and the Las Vegas gaming giant could provide a foothold in the fast-growing local casino market.


However, investments in the Friant-Auberry community are not clear.

The tribe is negotiating how much it will pay Fresno County for deputies, roads, water and sewerage. And many of its estimated 2,500 jobs will be eligible for lower pay with higher turnover, a former industry official said.

The $250 million casino resort, expected to open in 2006, will feature at least 2,000 slot machines and 20 game tables. The resort is planned for a 250 to 300-room hotel and several restaurants and shops.

Caesars and the tribe have not said where they will build the 48-acre development, but county officials say it will be built near the intersection of the Auberi and Millerton roads, about 10 miles northeast of Fresno.

For the tribe, the agreement finalized this week represents a revenue stream that leaders say will be used for social services such as education and healthcare.

Connie Lewis, tribal chairman of the Big Sandy Band, said, "We're very excited and things are going to be fast. It's overwhelming."

In other words, the tribe has to revise its agreement with the state government. Currently, the tribe's agreement controls the 329-site Mono Wind Casino, located about 15 miles northeast of this planned casino.

Rick Contreras, tribal manager at Big Sandy, said the tribe will continue to operate Mono Wind casinos, at least for the time being.

"It could be on a smaller scale, it could be a different kind of game operation, but we're going to keep it open," he said.

If the casino is approved and built, it will mean Caesars entering California, one analyst said. This shows that the country's scarce gaming industry is a "big league."

"The name Caesars means the best," said Bill Thompson, a professor at the University of Nevada in Las Vegas who has written 10 books about the gaming industry.

Caesars will be able to promote other outlets to Fresno's growing population, he said. The company may also plan to attract out-of-state visitors by wrapping the resort with a trip to nearby Yosemite National Park.

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