California: Lost Local Control for Reservation Shopping

Gov. Brown OK's Gaming Compact for Rohnert Park Casino
Card games and 3,000 slot machines are allowed.
By Angela Hart

Gov. Jerry Brown today signed a tribal-state gaming compact, allowing the Federated Indians of the Graton Rancheria to open a Las Vegas-style casino in Rohnert Park on a 254-acre parcel on the city's west side.

The casino has been a magnet for contention here, where some residents say it'll cause an uptick of traffic and crime to this bedroom community. Others fret the impact on the federally-endangered Tiger Salamander, while supporters say the city needs the revenue the casino will bring to town.

The casino west of U.S. Highway 101 between Wilfred Avenue and Stony Point Road led to a failed effort in August 2004 to recall two of the four Rohnert Park City Council members who voted to approve a $200 million memorandum of understanding with the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria. The money is to offset the casino's and resort's impact on public safety and other services.

Gov. Brown said in a statement that the casino will pay to mititate environmental, economic and operational impacts.

"The compact includes provisions to protect employees and patrons as well as measures to protect the environment during the construction and operation of gaming facilities," he said. "It also funds programs in local communities to mitigate the effect of gaming activities and address gambling addiction."

Pastor Chip Worthington, who since 2003 has battled the casino in the courts, said he was incensed at the governor's decision today.

"This is an outrage," said Worthington, who also heads the Stop the Casino 101 Coalition. "The governor has completely ignored local sentiment and completely ignored all the evidence of negative impacts which we have presented to him. This will have disastrous consequences to our quality of life and to the environment."

According to Brown, 3,000 slot machines are planned for the casino, along with card games. "Up to 15 percent of the casino's net win will go to local communities and gambling mitigation and regulation," he said.

"The Tribe estimates that the project will create approximately 700 construction jobs and 2,500 jobs at the new facility."

The tribe has estimated when built, the casino will inject millions of dollars annually into the local economy. And, city engineer Darrin Jenkins confirmed last year that the Graton Rancheria has promised to pay the city an estimated $200 million over 20 years, assuming revenues come in as anticipated.

The process of building a casino in Rohnert Park has been controversial, at best, since it started in 2003. The proposal has been stalled by multiple lawsuits, but last October plans were revitalized when the 254 acres were taken into trust by the tribe, which was approved by the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

Environmental hurdles were cleared Aug. 31, when the proposed casino was left out of the federally protected land for the endangered Tiger Salamander.

Indian gaming is a right of Indian Nations, derived from sovereignty recognized by the Supreme Court and Congress in 1988, according to the National Indian Gaming Association.

"It is the only economic development tool that has ever worked on reservations, bringing increased economic benefits to Indians and non­-Indians," said the National Indian Gaming Association said in a statement. "Most [tribes] are still struggling to lift themselves out of a centuries-­long cycle of poverty."

But Worthington says the casino will invite blight and increased crime to Rohnert Park.

Worthington said the coalition is currently challenging a National Environmental Policy Act ruling based on water probelms, sewer, traffic, pollution and further endangering the Tiger Salamander.

"We're looking forward to having the court weigh in on the casino's very flawed environmental study," Worthington said in a statment.

The compact must still be approved by the state Legislature and Department of the Interior. The Graton tribe has partnered with Station Casinos LLC of Las Vegas to build and operate the casino. Station Casinos emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in June.

We're going over the compact with a fine-toothed comb. Meanwhile, tell us what you think in the comments, and let us know what questions you have. Bay City News contributed to this report.


Brown signs gaming compact with tribe planning to build casino in Sonoma County
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Jerry Brown signs compact for Sonoma County Indian casino
Gov. Jerry Brown today signed an Indian gambling compact allowing development of a casino near the Sonoma County city of Rohnert Park.

The compact allows the 1,300-member Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria to operate as many as 3,000 slot machines. Eventually, the casino will pay up to 15 percent of the slot machines' net win to local and state agencies for gambling mitigation programs and services.

The Democratic governor's office, citing tribe estimates, said in a statement that the project would create about 700 construction jobs and 2,500 jobs at the casino once it is built.

The casino's development has faced local opposition, with opponents objecting to its impact on the environment, among other things.

Posted by David Siders

Read more here: http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2012/03/jerry-brown-signs-compact-for-sonoma-county-indian-casino.html#storylink=cpy