as posted 8.28.07 at indianz.com:
Barwest LLC, a Detroit-based casino syndication headed by Michael J. Malik and Mrs. Marian Ilitch (she and husband Mike Ilitch co-founded Little Caesars Pizza; the family owns the Detroit Tigers, Detroit Red Wings, MotorCity Casino, etc.) supported that lobbying effort.
A lobbyist for Barwest LLC reported in January 2007 that they had partnered with Gribbon to try and achieve their mutual objectives. During 2006, Michael Malik, with other past ties to horse racing, joined with racetrack owners and labor PACs in contributing to several California legislators who they'd hoped would champion their causes.
Two gaming compacts for off-reservation casinos championed by Barwest LLC (they would develop and manage proposed projects) have failed to win support in the California legislature in each of the last two annual legislative sessions.
Spokespeople for Barwest LLC, angry as of late, have blamed the political influence of California's successful gaming tribes for their failures despite the fact that Barwest's unorthodox projects have not been endorsed by any other Indian tribes in California (gaming or non-gaming); with the exception of their two intended partners the Big Lagoon Rancheria and Los Coyotes Band of Cahuilla and Cupeno Indians.
Barwest LLC was fined in 2006 by the California Fair Political Practices Commission for two counts of violating California's political reform laws when principals of the entity failed to report a $26,600 contribution they made to the San Joaquin County GOP Committee in 2004.
It is also worth noting that the United Auburn Indian Community began a partnership with Las Vegas-based Station Casinos, Inc. dating back to at least 2000. Station California LLC has managed the tribe's Thunder Valley Casino Resort and shared in the profits.
It's worth noting that Unite-Here political director Jack Gribbon headed the failed 2007 lobbying fight to have the California legislature turn-down the four Compacts negotiated by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2006. And now the four compacts are targeted by the Unite-Here backed referendum.
Big fight looms on California gaming referendum
The fight over four new gaming compacts could get even uglier, The Los Angeles Times reports.
A union and a racetrack owner are gathering signatures for a petition to put the compacts to a public vote. But the four tribes are countering with a campaign to convince people not to sign, or to withdraw their names from the petition.
"We're not looking for confrontation, we're just looking to inform the voters of California. . . . People should have the option to withdraw their names," Jacob Mejia, a spokesperson for the four tribes, told The Times.
The Unite-Here union and the racetrack owner are receiving financial support from the United Auburn Indian Community and the Pala Band of Mission Indians. The tribes say the new compacts will hurt smaller casinos.
The Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians, the Morongo Band of Mission Indians and the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation signed the compacts to add more slot machines to their facilities.
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Indian gambling battle brewing (The Los Angeles Times 8/28)
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Barwest LLC, a Detroit-based casino syndication headed by Michael J. Malik and Mrs. Marian Ilitch (she and husband Mike Ilitch co-founded Little Caesars Pizza; the family owns the Detroit Tigers, Detroit Red Wings, MotorCity Casino, etc.) supported that lobbying effort.
A lobbyist for Barwest LLC reported in January 2007 that they had partnered with Gribbon to try and achieve their mutual objectives. During 2006, Michael Malik, with other past ties to horse racing, joined with racetrack owners and labor PACs in contributing to several California legislators who they'd hoped would champion their causes.
Two gaming compacts for off-reservation casinos championed by Barwest LLC (they would develop and manage proposed projects) have failed to win support in the California legislature in each of the last two annual legislative sessions.
Spokespeople for Barwest LLC, angry as of late, have blamed the political influence of California's successful gaming tribes for their failures despite the fact that Barwest's unorthodox projects have not been endorsed by any other Indian tribes in California (gaming or non-gaming); with the exception of their two intended partners the Big Lagoon Rancheria and Los Coyotes Band of Cahuilla and Cupeno Indians.
Barwest LLC was fined in 2006 by the California Fair Political Practices Commission for two counts of violating California's political reform laws when principals of the entity failed to report a $26,600 contribution they made to the San Joaquin County GOP Committee in 2004.
It is also worth noting that the United Auburn Indian Community began a partnership with Las Vegas-based Station Casinos, Inc. dating back to at least 2000. Station California LLC has managed the tribe's Thunder Valley Casino Resort and shared in the profits.
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