Opinion: Oppose off-reservation gaming for Manzanita Band

Thursday, March 22, 2012  

"Most residents of Imperial County are aware and have read articles in English and in Spanish about the proposed off-reservation casino of the Manzanita Band of Mission Indians (Tribe) that is to be located in Calexico. The casino development has promised thousands of jobs and monies for local government departments and services. The project report lists the casino facility at 459,621 sq. ft., over 10.5 acres under a single roof.

With a facility this large and the amount of employees needed, what is the estimated cost of running such a large operation? What are the impacts to the surrounding community? With a calculator in hand let’s begin to count some of the listed costs. Since the passage of Proposition 1A in March 2000, California Governors over the last 12 years, have approved and amended 59 tribal state compacts, for the purpose of gambling on established Indian lands. The Manzanita Tribe has a signed Tribal-State compact issued September 10, 1999. This Tribal State compact was given final clearance by the Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs on May 5, 2000."

Get the Story:
Former Supervisor Wally Leimgruber Weighs In On Calexico Casino (The Holtville Tribune 3/21)

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Manzanita Band hopes for approval of off-reservation casino (2/29)