Politics & Government
Governor Signs Gaming Contract with Tribe Planning to Build Casino
Resort also planned by Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria.
Gov. Jerry Brown signed a tribal-state gaming contract compact today with the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria to operate a casino outside Rohnert Park city limits.
The compact, which allows 3,000 slot machines, must still be approved by the state Legislature and Department of the Interior.
The Stop the Casino 101 Coalition, which fought the proposed casino and hotel, reacted immediately.
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"Governor Brown has betrayed the voters of Sonoma County," Coalition spokesman Pastor Chip Worthington said in a prepared statement.
"This is an outrage. The governor has completely ignored local sentiment and completely ignored all evidence of negative impacts, which we have presented to him," Worthington said.
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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 tribe pledged to give the city the money over 20 years to help offset the casino's and resort's impact on public safety and other services.
In its final environmental impact statement, the tribe said the hotel, resort and casino on a 254-acre parcel west of Rohnert Park will create 2,500 jobs and have an annual payroll of $67 million jobs. Building the project will create 750 jobs, the tribe said.
The Graton tribe partnered with Station Casinos LLC of Las Vegas to build and operate the casino. Station Casinos emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in June.
The Dry Creek Rancheria Band of Pomo Indians operates the River Rock Casino near Geyserville in Sonoma County.
— Bay City News
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