"Sonoma County salvaged a bad hand with its casino mitigation pact.
The agreement, ratified Tuesday by the Board of Supervisors, guarantees payments of at least $9 million a year to address crime, traffic, fire protection and other costs associated with a tribal casino under construction on the west edge of Rohnert Park. If casino revenue meets projections, the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria would pay considerably more — up to $38 million a year — to the county and the cities of Santa Rosa, Cotati, Sebastopol and Petaluma. Those payments are in addition to $200 million owed to the city of Rohnert Park over 20 years under a separate covenant." Get the Story: