KQED’s John Myers @ Capitol Notes reported this afternoon …
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
One City, Two Casinos, Three Months
That kind of sums up the latest chapter on efforts to bring two tribal casinos to the city of Barstow, as new legislation was introduced today to finally ratify these unusual... and controversial... deals.
The formal gaming compacts struck between Governor Schwarzenegger, the Big Lagoon Rancheria of Humboldt County, and the Los Coyotes Band of Cahuilla Indians of San Diego County failed to make it out of the Legislature last year. Los Coyotes' reservation is easily more than 100 miles from Barstow; Big Lagoon
is easily several hundred miles form the desert city.
… This afternoon, the Big Lagoon and Los Coyotes compacts were re-introduced as SB 157, by Sen. Pat Wiggins (D-Santa Rosa) and Sen. Roy Ashburn (R-Bakersfield).
…So what does the "Three Months" in the headline refer to? Well, that may be all the time that's left on the Barstow deal.
The Big Lagoon tribe's legal battle with the state over their original plans for a casino in Humboldt has been on hold, while the tribe has attempted to set up shop down south. But tribal chairman Virgil Moorehead told reporters today that the time out could end as soon as May. In May, the tribe can legally walk away from the Barstow project and take their chances in court with a casino back at home."We decided to go to Barstow upon the request of the governor of this state," he said. "This legislative session is the final go for us." (Full Post)
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