MADERA (KMJ) — With Chukchansi Gold Resort and Casino open for business again, the Sheriff’s Office in neighboring Madera County say they have plans in place to ensure the events that closed it just over a year ago don’t happen again.
It was October 2014 when the site just outside Coarsegold went through an armed takeover attempt.
The disagreement which sparked that situation has been worked out and tribal leaders are hoping they can put that behind them and focus on the casino itself.
“We do have a deputy on site 24/7”, says Madera County Sheriff Jay Varney. “To just have a presence in terms of people seeing that law enforcement is nearby and to assist the security there with any issues they may have.”
“There’s still some language carried over from the temporary restraining order that prevents certain individuals to be armed on site. So even to come over this time would create an issue for them in terms of violating the court’s order.”
Sheriff Varney adds that they haven’t had any situations at all similar to those which prompted the casino’s closure, and that tribal leaders who were elected in October wanted to have a more visible presence of the Sheriff’s Office on site.
“People could focus more on the fact that they need to have a successful re-opening as opposed to making this a venue for working out inter-tribal disagreements.”
He says their job is now just to keep the peace and let the it operate as usual.
“On site it’s been very calm and I guess what you’d call normal for a casino.”
