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Native American Development (Tables)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016
North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians (Mono) [Member]  
Schedule of Development and Management Agreements
The following table summarizes the Company’s evaluation at December 31, 2016 of each of the critical milestones necessary to complete the North Fork Project.
 
As of December 31, 2016
Federally recognized as an Indian tribe by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (“BIA”)
Yes
Date of recognition
Federal recognition was terminated in 1966 and restored in 1983.
Tribe has possession of or access to usable land upon which the project is to be built
The DOI accepted approximately 305 acres of land for the project into trust for the benefit of the Mono in February 2013.
Status of obtaining regulatory and governmental approvals:
 
Tribal–state compact
A compact was negotiated and signed by the Governor of California and the Mono in August 2012. The Compact was ratified by the California State Assembly and Senate in May 2013 and June 2013, respectively. Opponents of the North Fork Project qualified a referendum, “Proposition 48,” for a state-wide ballot challenging the legislature’s ratification of the Compact. In November 2014, Proposition 48 failed. The State took the position that the failure of Proposition 48 nullified the ratification of the Compact and, therefore, the Compact did not take effect under California law. In March 2015, the Mono filed suit against the State (see North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians v. State of California) to obtain a compact with the State or procedures from the Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Indian Affairs under which Class III gaming may be conducted on the North Fork Site. In July 2016, the DOI issued Secretarial procedures (the “Secretarial Procedures”) pursuant to which the Mono may conduct Class III gaming on the North Fork Site.
Approval of gaming compact by DOI
The Compact was submitted to the DOI in July 2013. In October 2013, notice of the Compact taking effect was published in the Federal Register. The Secretarial Procedures supersede and replace the Compact.
Record of decision regarding environmental impact published by BIA
In November 2012, the record of decision for the Environmental Impact Statement for the North Fork Project was issued by the BIA. In December 2012, the Notice of Intent to take land into trust was published in the Federal Register.
BIA accepting usable land into trust on behalf of the tribe
The North Fork Site was accepted into trust in February 2013.
Approval of management agreement by NIGC
In December 2015, the Mono submitted the Management Agreement, and certain related documents, to the NIGC. In July 2016, the Mono received a deficiency letter from the NIGC seeking additional information concerning the Management Agreement. Approval of the Management Agreement by the NIGC is expected to occur following the Mono’s response to the deficiency letter. The Company believes the Management Agreement will be approved because the terms and conditions thereof are consistent with the provisions of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.
Gaming licenses:
 
Type
The North Fork Project will include the operation of Class II and Class III gaming, which are allowed pursuant to the terms of the Secretarial Procedures and IGRA, following approval of the Management Agreement by the NIGC.
Number of gaming devices allowed
The Secretarial Procedures allow for the operation of a maximum of 2,000 Class III slot machines at the facility during the first two years of operation and thereafter up to 2,500 Class III slot machines. There is no limit on the number of Class II gaming devices that the Mono can offer.
Agreements with local authorities
The Mono has entered into memoranda of understanding with the City of Madera, the County of Madera and the Madera Irrigation District under which the Mono agreed to pay one-time and recurring mitigation contributions, subject to certain contingencies. The memoranda of understanding with the City and County were amended in December 2016 to restructure the timing of certain payments due to delays in the development of the North Fork Project.