NOTE: Representatives of BarWest LLC and the Los Coyotes Band of Cahuilla Indians -- including Tom Shields -- fought against ratification of the four Indian Gaming agreements voters approved on February 5th. In fact, Shields took credit for stalling legislative approval of the agreements in August 2006...."Across California, wannabe casino tribes and their investors are feeling invigorated by voters' approval Tuesday of ballot referendums to give four rich Southern California tribes permission to add up to 17,000 slot machines," reports Peter Hecht in the Bee.
"They are also excited by Schwarzenegger's public statements that he is ready to deal on new gambling agreements with additional tribes that agree to pay a "fair share" of casino revenue into the state's general fund.
"Among the first in line may be the Los Coyotes Band of Cahuilla and Cupeno Indians of San Diego County. The tribe -- whose poverty was dramatized in television commercials for 1990 and 2000 ballot measures legalizing tribal gambling in California" has fought unsuccessfully for 2 1/2 years to get a casino in Barstow.
"Now the tribe and wealthy backers, including Marian Ilitch, Detroit Red Wings and MotorCity Casino owner, are eager for another appointment with Schwarzenegger.
"'We will attempt to go back and renegotiate with the governor and go to the Legislature and say the people obviously support an expansion of gambling if it will provide revenues to the state,' said Tom Shields, spokesman for Los Coyotes and the Barstow casino group, BarWest Gaming. 'We are more than willing to be a part of that.'"The governor signed controversial 2005 gambling agreements that would have allowed Los Coyotes and the Big Lagoon tribe – 700 miles away in Mendocino County – to build 2,000-slot casinos in Barstow. Opposition from major Southern California casino tribes helped kill the deal in the Legislature and, politically, the Barstow development remains problematic."
Full story at Sacramento Bee: http://www.sacbee.com/111/v-print/story/701123.html
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