Sycuan Seek to Add Land To Reservation - RV Park, Powwow Grounds, Equestrian Center and Housing Among Uses

The 188 member Sycuan Indian band, which has a reservation just east of El Cajon down San Diego way, is seeking to add 2000 acres of land that they already own to their reservation.

They already have a very successful casino and have no plans to build another one. Tribal leaders said that most of the land will be kept as open space, including areas with hiking and horse-riding trails along the Sweetwater River.

The county Board of Supervisors and local residents are opposed to the annexation citing the removal of the land from the tax rolls and elimination of the local government to make decisions concerning the land.

For the 2008-09 tax year, the tribe said it paid $776,300 in property taxes for the land they now wish to annex. Those taxes are split between state and local governments.

Wally Riggs, who heads a local advisory group on planning issues said, “They would be taking the whole floor of the valley. Now we can't plan.”

Riggs wife said she doesn’t trust the tribe when they tell everyone that no gaming is planned for the land citing a massive parking structure they built on land brought into trust a couple years ago which the tribe said would be used for housing and “other government purposes.” “We called it bait and switch,” she said.

The tribe is expecting a long application process which they say will probably take years but noted they are expecting approval soon of a separate application to add about 46 acres.

If you remember, I posted last June that after joining four other tribes in successfully having amended compacts approved by the state to allow for additional slots the Sycuan backed out citing the faltering economy.