North Fork Casino Stays Open as Judge Rejects Chukchansi Tribe’s Emergency Bid
Construction officially began in 2024, with a reported $725 million price tag
A federal judge in Fresno has refused to grant Picayune Rancheria of the Chukchansi Indians an order that would have forced North Fork Mono Casino to pause operations. This will leave the new Madera property open while the dispute moves towards the Ninth Circuit.
The ruling marks another setback in a long-running battle between the two tribes over gaming in the Central Valley, where the casinos are about 39 miles apart.
North Fork Mono Casino opened on 27 October after more than 20 years of development, with a reported $725 million price tag and more than 1,500 local jobs tied to the project. Construction officially began in 2024.
Court Rejects Emergency Bid
U.S. District Judge Kirk E. Sherriff said Picayune had not shown the kind of immediate, irreparable harm needed for preliminary relief.
In the order, he wrote: “Picayune has been successfully operating its casino for years, and while it may face some increased competition from the North Fork Casino, a preliminary injunction would immediately cause extensive, and potentially permanent, losses to North Fork.”
He also noted that additional gaming capacity could broaden the market rather than simply split it, a view that underlines the court’s reluctance to interfere before the case is fully heard.
Long Legal Fight Continues
The Fresno Bee reported that Picayune’s lawsuit is its third federal case against the North Fork project since 2012, after earlier challenges failed.
The judge faulted the timing of the request, saying the tribe could have acted sooner after related state rulings in December 2025 and April 2026.
Picayune’s lawyer, Navtej Dhillon, said the tribe will appeal. “The U.S. district court was just a pit stop,” he said. “The key issue will have to be resolved by the ninth district.”
North Fork, meanwhile, is already signalling further investment, including a 200-room hotel and expanded parking.
