July 26, 1998
VIEJAS INDIAN RESERVATION -- Moving to protect the solvency of their casino and tribal government, members of the Viejas Indian band voted last night to accept a controversial gambling compact with Gov. Pete Wilson.
By adopting an accord, as Barona tribal members did Wednesday, Viejas eliminates the threat of losing its video slot machines -- the lifeblood of the Alpine-area casino -- in forfeiture actions by the U.S. government.
Viejas tribal leaders were unavailable for comment Saturday night, and details of the compact were not expected to be released until Monday.
The result of the 41-36 vote was confirmed by tribal sources.
"There was no jubilation after the vote," said one tribal member. "The people are very, very unhappy that it even came down to having to vote on this compact. ... This compact, basically, we feel was forced upon us.
"We did this for our employees, for our elders and for our children."
Viejas officials said previously that after two months of negotiations with the governor, they did not gain many of the revisions they wanted in the so-called "model" compact Wilson signed in March with the nongaming Pala Indian band in North County.
The Pala compact -- and modified versions adopted in recent weeks by seven other tribes -- authorizes a new but as yet unavailable lottery-style machine.
The compact has been opposed by most of California's 39 gaming tribes, including Viejas, on grounds that it surrenders too much tribal sovereignty to the state. Gaming tribes also objected that they had no say in the Wilson-Pala negotiations, which took 17 months.
However, had Viejas not adopted a compact, it stood to lose its video slot machines, which generate 80 percent of the tribe's revenues.
Federal prosecutors in central, eastern and Northern California have filed suits to confiscate the gambling machines of 27 tribes that refused to enter negotiations for compacts modeled after the Pala accord.
In San Diego, forfeiture suits filed by the U.S. Attorney's Office were put on hold in May, pending outcomes of negotiations between local gaming tribes and the state. A status conference is scheduled Thursday before federal Judge Marilyn Huff.
The county's other gaming tribe, the Sycuan Indian band, has failed so far to reach an agreement with the governor. A deadline set by federal and state officials lapsed July 13.