Under the gun, Ilitch Family publicist says they'll make announcement on future of Barstow casino Feb. 1

Under the gun, with this week's deadline to introduce legislation for consideration by the California Legislature in 2007, a publicist for the Ilitch Family of Detroit Michigan told The Sun they'll finally make an announcement on Feb. 1 to indicate who will shepherd a second attempt to win legislative approval of their plans for dual casinos in Barstow, Calif. A casino syndicate backed by the Ilitch Family has bankrolled the unorthodox plans for the Barstow location since 2002 but the plans have yet to capture support of lawmakers in Sacramento or Washington D.C.

Based on a presentation by an Ilitch lobbyist at a January 16 Barstow City Council meeting, it is expected that first-term Senator Patricia Wiggins (D-Santa Rosa) from Humboldt County will author the legislation. Wiggins filled the seat formerly held by Wesley Chesbro (D-Arcata) who was faced with term limits and left office last year.

Chesbro attempted to shepherd the same plans through the legislature in 2006 but a Senate Committee chaired by Dean Florez (D-Bakersfield) failed to take any action on the plans in March 2006 and an Assembly committee chaired by Jerome Horton (D-Inglewood) voted to reject the agreements in June. The agreements, which must be ratified by the legislature this year or they expire, were originally signed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2005.

During the 2006 legislative session only six members of the legislature vowed publicly to support the plans and one of those was Chesbro who is no longer in office.

Wiggins would be expected to take up Chesbro's torch given the only remotely compelling public policy case for relocating off-reservation casinos clear across the state to Barstow is tied to preservation of the Big Lagoon reserve in the nothern most section of Wiggins' District. Wiggins' constituents would expect her to take on the cause which has failed thus far to capture the interest of any other member of the legislature.

While the agreements would guarantee no future casino development on the Big Lagoon Rancheria lands it doesn't prohibit other development or future uses which could impact the Big Lagoon. The Big Lagoon Rancheria is sovereign territory. The family that makes up the Big Lagoon Indian tribe has consistently made that point clear and is looking to add acreage to their current reservation (trust lands) for development purposes.

Ilitch's Team has known for six months that it would need to find a new author for legislation with Chesbro's departure. Unless there is a significant show of support from legislators at this anticipated announcement and if the author they've secured is Wiggins, it would further signal the agreements are doomed again this year. If Wiggins refused to carry the legislation on Ilitch's behalf that would also be troubling news.

In Brief 01-30-2007
Staff Reports

HIGH DESERT
Casino company set to name legislative sponsor


A Detroit-based company that needs legislative support for its effort to develop a two-casino project in Barstow could announce later this week which lawmaker will officially support its plan.

Tom Shields, a spokesman for BarWest Gaming, said the company plans to hold a news conference as early as Wednesday in Sacramento to reveal who will sponsor a bill that would allow the casino plan to move forward. BarWest Gaming is working with the Los Coyotes Band of Cahuilla and Cupeno Indians of north San Diego County, and the Humboldt County-based Big Lagoon Rancheria Tribe to build off-reservation Indian casinos in Barstow.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed gaming compacts with both tribes, but an Assembly committee rejected the deals in June. The Legislature and federal Department of the Interior must approve the project for the Barstow casinos to
be built.

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