The
San
Pasqual Band of Mission Indians held a public meeting last week to discuss a $50 million expansion of its casino in southern California.
According to The Valley Roadrunner, most of the discussion centered on a digital billboard at the
Valley View Casino and
Hotel. Residents believe the 58-foot tall electronic sign could generate too much light in the area.
"Don’t pollute the dark sky around your casino with an unwanted 50 foot tall sign," Steve Sweeney wrote in a letter to the paper. Four similar letters were published this week.
Concern centers around the
Palomar
Observatory, an astronomical research center with three telescopes. The facility is about about 22 miles from the casino.
The
County
of San Diego regulates outdoor lighting and light pollution but otherwise
lacks jurisdiction in Indian Country.
The tribe's top gaming executive, however, said the tribe will abide by the so-called "dark sky" ordinance, the paper reported, and indicated that the design for the sign has been updated.
The tribe held the February 8 meeting as part of an
environmental
evaluation for the expansion. Besides the billboard, plans call for the addition of more than 40,000 square-feet to the casino.
The San Pasqual expansion is one of several tribal projects in southern
California.
Tribes
are creating 3,000 jobs at their casinos, The San Diego Union-Tribune
reported. Work is expected to
begin in April
Read More on the Story:
Tribe hears from residents about giant billboard
(The Valley Roadrunner February 15, 2018)
Some Opinions:
Letter to the Editor by YVONNE HOLLISTER: SIGNS CAN BE A SOURCE OF POLLUTION
(The Valley Roadrunner February 15, 2018)
Letter to the Editor by CLAIRE COLLINS: A MEETING ON THE TRIBAL EXPANSION PROJECT
(The Valley Roadrunner February 15, 2018)
Letter to the Editor by STEVE SWEENEY: DON’T POLLUTE THE SKY
(The Valley Roadrunner February 15, 2018)
Letter to the Editor by FLORENCE GRIFFIS: WE DON’T WANT TO BECOME LAS VEGAS, JR.
(The Valley Roadrunner February 15, 2018)
Join the Conversation
Related Stories
San
Pasqual Band includes digital billboard in casino expansion (February 7, 2018)
Tribes
add thousands of jobs with expansions at casinos in California (January 24,
2018)
