Mayor against Guidiville Band off-reservation casino bid

Wednesday, March 17, 2010  

The mayor of Richmond, California, says the Guidiville Band of Pomo Indians will bring "more crime, robbery, drugs, domestic violence, prostitution and of course, gambling addictions" to the city with an off-reservation casino.

Mayor Gayle McLaughlin has long opposed the tribe's proposal to turn the Point Molate Naval Fuel Depot into a $1.2 billion casino. She said the facility won't generate the kind of economic development the city needs.

“It’s really just a false vision that’s being painted,” McLaughlin told The Contra Costa College Accent Advocate. “This kind of business does not even create a positive product for anyone. It’s taking money from those that can afford it least and putting it into the hands of the casino owners.”

Most of her colleagues, however, support the Point Molate Resort or have agreed to negotiate. The tribe has promised $17 million to $20 million a year to the city and says it will reserve 70 percent of jobs for county residents.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs has released a draft environmental impact statement and environmental impact report for the project.

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Casino sparks debate (The Contra Costa College Accent Advocate 3/16)