Indian casino critics muster;
others hint ‘racism’ a motive
Sac Bee Excloo
MARYSVILLE 9/13/02 (YNS) – Citing socio-economic concerns, school officials and real estate agents have voiced strong opposition to a $92 million Native American casino-hotel proposed for Yuba County, but racism may be a factor in public opinion as well, others said Friday.
The seven-story casino-hotel proposed by the Enterprise Rancheria tribe would be located on a 40-acre parcel in the same tract as the Autowest Amphitheater and a motorplex speedway. Supporters say it will generate some 1,800 new jobs, directly or indirectly.
On Sept. 6, the Sutter-Yuba Association of Realtors advised the county board of supervisors it opposed “siting an “off-reservation tribal government in the heart of Yuba County.”
In a terse letter, SYAR President Gwen McCoy said the group believes the Indian casino would “negatively effect social policies” and the economies of Yuba and Sutter counties.
The group urged the supervisors to scratch the plan.
Trustees of the county board of education likewise voted, 6-0-1, Wednesday to adopt a resolution stating it “strenuously opposed” the development of an off-reservation Indian Casino in Yuba County.
The core complaints of both groups centered around fears of establishing a “sovereign nation” beyond the government control and community influence.
“A new tribal government … would eliminate any local government oversight or state regulatory authority” so “county supervisors would have no jurisdiction over issues of traffic, public safety, environment, water or air quality,” according to the trustees’ resolution.
Such fears were groundless and apparently based on misunderstandings of state law, insisted Al Amaro, chairman of the board of supervisors.
“I wonder if they (school trustees) even ran this by their legal counsel,” Amaro said.
Supervisors got a peek at the SYAR letter at last week’s board meeting, and Supervisor Dan Schrader complained that some of the community debate about the controversial Indian casino “bordered on racism.”
He expanded later saying his comment was not directed at the real estate agents. “From the letters to the editor I read in the paper and from people talking I keep hearing them refer to the tribe as ‘Those people’,” Schrader said.
“Not ‘the tribe’, or ‘American Indians’, or ‘Native Americans but ‘those people’,” there’s a hint of racism in it, and I'm very troubled by that,” Schrader said.
Looking back at the meeting where school trustees discussed the proposed casino and he moral impact of gambling, Amaro echoed Schrader, “You have to ask: Is it really gambling? They (trustees) haven’t opposed Internet gambling, the Lotto, bingo or raffles. Why this?”
The real estate agents raised nagging doubts about the fate of a $100 million motorplex Yuba County voters approved by a 86 percent margin five years ago -- but have yet to see go up.
“We are concerned that the developer who was committed by a county referendum to build a motor-plex has deeded not to build a racetrack and has shopped he state of California for an Indian Rancheria to build a casino, which has not been approved by the voters,” McCoy wrote.
Strictly speaking, there was no “commitment” by the developer, according to County Administrator Kent McClain,
When voters passed Measure R, they were passing a new ordinance rezoning agricultural land to a new, “broadly defined” category allowing sports and entertainment uses, McClain said.
The ordinance carried no performance bond or clause to compel the developer to in fact build a speedway, therefore, Amaro said, he county “can’t force the developer to do anything.”
James Cohen, the attorney helping the work out how revenues might be shared with the county, found the accusation of tribe-shopping “offensive.” As far as the tribe knew the motorplex developers “intend to build the racetrack,” Cohen said.
McClain played down doubts regarding the speedway. “I’ve talked with officials with the developers in he last several days and they say they intend to build the motorplex,” he said.
Schrader was more cautious. “We may not get the super raceway we thought we would, but I will not support the casino or any project that doesn’t include motor sports,” he said.
Representatives for motorplex promoters Forsythe Racing and Yuba County Entertainment could not be reached for comment.
others hint ‘racism’ a motive
Sac Bee Excloo
MARYSVILLE 9/13/02 (YNS) – Citing socio-economic concerns, school officials and real estate agents have voiced strong opposition to a $92 million Native American casino-hotel proposed for Yuba County, but racism may be a factor in public opinion as well, others said Friday.
The seven-story casino-hotel proposed by the Enterprise Rancheria tribe would be located on a 40-acre parcel in the same tract as the Autowest Amphitheater and a motorplex speedway. Supporters say it will generate some 1,800 new jobs, directly or indirectly.
On Sept. 6, the Sutter-Yuba Association of Realtors advised the county board of supervisors it opposed “siting an “off-reservation tribal government in the heart of Yuba County.”
In a terse letter, SYAR President Gwen McCoy said the group believes the Indian casino would “negatively effect social policies” and the economies of Yuba and Sutter counties.
The group urged the supervisors to scratch the plan.
Trustees of the county board of education likewise voted, 6-0-1, Wednesday to adopt a resolution stating it “strenuously opposed” the development of an off-reservation Indian Casino in Yuba County.
The core complaints of both groups centered around fears of establishing a “sovereign nation” beyond the government control and community influence.
“A new tribal government … would eliminate any local government oversight or state regulatory authority” so “county supervisors would have no jurisdiction over issues of traffic, public safety, environment, water or air quality,” according to the trustees’ resolution.
Such fears were groundless and apparently based on misunderstandings of state law, insisted Al Amaro, chairman of the board of supervisors.
“I wonder if they (school trustees) even ran this by their legal counsel,” Amaro said.
Supervisors got a peek at the SYAR letter at last week’s board meeting, and Supervisor Dan Schrader complained that some of the community debate about the controversial Indian casino “bordered on racism.”
He expanded later saying his comment was not directed at the real estate agents. “From the letters to the editor I read in the paper and from people talking I keep hearing them refer to the tribe as ‘Those people’,” Schrader said.
“Not ‘the tribe’, or ‘American Indians’, or ‘Native Americans but ‘those people’,” there’s a hint of racism in it, and I'm very troubled by that,” Schrader said.
Looking back at the meeting where school trustees discussed the proposed casino and he moral impact of gambling, Amaro echoed Schrader, “You have to ask: Is it really gambling? They (trustees) haven’t opposed Internet gambling, the Lotto, bingo or raffles. Why this?”
The real estate agents raised nagging doubts about the fate of a $100 million motorplex Yuba County voters approved by a 86 percent margin five years ago -- but have yet to see go up.
“We are concerned that the developer who was committed by a county referendum to build a motor-plex has deeded not to build a racetrack and has shopped he state of California for an Indian Rancheria to build a casino, which has not been approved by the voters,” McCoy wrote.
Strictly speaking, there was no “commitment” by the developer, according to County Administrator Kent McClain,
When voters passed Measure R, they were passing a new ordinance rezoning agricultural land to a new, “broadly defined” category allowing sports and entertainment uses, McClain said.
The ordinance carried no performance bond or clause to compel the developer to in fact build a speedway, therefore, Amaro said, he county “can’t force the developer to do anything.”
James Cohen, the attorney helping the work out how revenues might be shared with the county, found the accusation of tribe-shopping “offensive.” As far as the tribe knew the motorplex developers “intend to build the racetrack,” Cohen said.
McClain played down doubts regarding the speedway. “I’ve talked with officials with the developers in he last several days and they say they intend to build the motorplex,” he said.
Schrader was more cautious. “We may not get the super raceway we thought we would, but I will not support the casino or any project that doesn’t include motor sports,” he said.
Representatives for motorplex promoters Forsythe Racing and Yuba County Entertainment could not be reached for comment.
<< Home