Competing casino proposals are back

Competing casino proposals are back
Victor Valley Daily Press | 8.24.2011

...But this time around, the Chemehuevi will own the property where the proposed casino would be. Wood said the tribe is in the process of buying the 40-acre property that was sold by the original property owners right after the casino was first rejected. This ownership should be an advantage for the Chemehuevi, Wood said, because it shows there are no outside developers influencing the tribe.

The Chemehuevi tribe runs the Havasu Landing Casino in Havasu Lake and originally applied to operate a casino near the Barstow outlets in 2006. The Chemehuevi’s application came not long after the Los Coyotes Tribe and Big Lagoon Rancheria applied for a dual casino a mile away.

The two applications were rejected in January 2008 as a result of a federal memo that required casinos to be within a commutable distance from the tribe’s reservation. The Chemehuevi and Los Coyotes reservations are more than 100 miles from Barstow...

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Chemehuevi will reapply for Barstow casino

Chemehuevi will reapply for Barstow casino
Desert Dispatch | 8.23.2011

Chemehuevi Chairman Charles Wood confirmed the tribe is preparing its application for a casino in Barstow.

Three years after its original application was rejected, the Chemehuevi tribe will try again for
Barstow casino down the street from another proposed casino project.

Chemehuevi Chairman Charles Wood confirmed the tribe is preparing its application for a casino in Barstow and has informally informed the Bureau of Indian Affairs of the project plans.

The tribe runs the Havasu Landing Casino in Havasu Lake and originally applied to operate a casino near the Barstow outlets in 2006. The Chemehuevi’s application came not long after the Los Coyotes Tribe and Big Lagoon Rancheria applied for a dual casino a mile away. Both casinos created municipal service agreements with the city.

The two applications were rejected in January 2008, as a result of a federal memo that required casinos to be within a commutable distance from the tribe’s reservation. The Chemehuevi and Los Coyotes reservations are more than 100 miles away from Barstow.

The rejections came after a two-year battle between the two projects. The Chemehuevi have publicly opposed the competing casino because it says the Los Coyotes, from San Diego County, have no ancestral ties to Barstow. Wood spoke at the July public hearing for the Los Coyotes Casino and said tribes like Los Coyotes have “no legal or cultural right” to a gaming casino in Barstow...

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San Bernardino County voters overwhelmingly supported expanded gaming measures

According to the Califonria Secretary of State's Web site, voters in San Bernardino County supported the four February 5th statewide ballot measures approving expanded gaming Compacts by overwhelming margins of 61% "yes" to 38% "no."

The measures were approved statewide by margins of 56% to 44%.

Sixteen northern California counties rejected gaming compacts

According the California Secretary of State's Web site, sixteen counties in California rejected four compacts for expanded gaming that were on the February 5th statewide ballot -- the four referenda on compacts passed by a wide margin (55.8% "yes" to 44.2% "no") statewide.

Among those rejecting gaming expansion were Humboldt County where the Big Lagoon Rancheria.

CA voters approve four gaming compacts

2.06.08

Voters back gambling measures

By Nancy Vogel, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

SACRAMENTO -- Measures to uphold an expansion of gambling at Indian casinos were headed for victory with about 90% of the state's precincts counted this morning, while an initiative to adjust the Legislature's term limits was behind. Roughly 56% of voters favored Indian gaming propositions 94, 95, 96 and 97. About 53% of voters opposed the term limits measure.

Another measure, Proposition 92, to guarantee community college funding, was rejected by about 58% of voters. As expected, voters also appeared to be rejecting a transportation funding measure, Proposition 91, that had been abandoned by its authors months ago.

A strong lead opened early for the gambling measures, which would give state taxpayers a share of slot machine revenues.

"Right now it looks like the voters are saying yes to hundreds of millions of new dollars each year," Roger Salazar, spokesman for the Yes on Propositions 94, 95, 96 and 97 campaign, said Tuesday. "We hope when the final tally comes in that will still be the case."

Scott Macdonald, spokesman for the campaign that opposed the casino measures, acknowledged late Tuesday that the returns so far "don't look good."

The battle was hard-fought, Macdonald said, even though opponents of the gambling propositions were outspent 4 to 1, because "people have serious reservations about what's in these compacts."

The gambling propositions asked voters to uphold or nullify four agreements negotiated by the governor and approved by the Legislature.

The pacts were forged to allow four Riverside and San Diego county tribes to add 17,000 slot machines to the 8,000 they already operate. In return, the tribes would pay the state a combined minimum of $123 million a year and up to 25% of the revenue from the new machines.

Advertisements for and against the measures have dominated airwaves for weeks. The campaign came within a few million dollars of breaking a record. Both sides raised a total of $147 million, just shy of the $152 million campaign over a 2006 oil tax initiative.

The four tribes with agreements at stake -- the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians, Morongo Band of Mission Indians and Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation -- said the deals could be worth $9 billion to the state over the next 22 years.

Opponents called that a rosy assumption and argued that the agreements would further enrich four tribes without increasing payments to tribes without gambling operations or with small casinos.

The four referenda were financed by Terrence Fancher, who manages companies that own California horse racetracks and have a stake in a Las Vegas casino; the casino workers union Unite-HERE, which dislikes labor provisions in the compacts; and two tribes that struck different gambling agreements and different revenue-sharing arrangements with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2004...

Tribes file lawsuit to block statewide referenda

10.11.07

GAMING NEWS
California tribes dispute petitions

SACRAMENTO, California -- As reported by the Sacramento Bee: "Two Riverside County tribes claim opponents of their recent gambling deals missed the deadline to file signatures for February ballot measures that would give voters final say on whether they can expand their casinos.

"In lawsuits filed Wednesday, the Morongo Band of Mission Indians near Banning and the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians near Temecula contend Secretary of State Debra Bowen wrongly let the agreements' opponents have 90 days to gather voter signatures.

"...In their suits, the tribes argue that the 90-day window covers both circulating petitions as well as the weeks-long process of certifying signatures. Opponents of the deals turned in their last petitions on the Monday deadline -- too late to be certified, the plaintiffs say.

"...Gov. Schwarzenegger signed legislation ratifying the compacts with the Morongo and Pechanga tribes, as well as two other tribes, on July 10, when the 90-day clock started running.

"The deals would give the tribes permission to install up to 17,000 additional slot machines. In return, the tribes would pay the state as much as several-hundred million dollars annually.

"...The campaign said it turned in about 2.8 million signatures, about 300,000 more than the minimum number of valid voter signatures needed to qualify each referendum measure..."

ALSO...

• Riverside Press Enterprise: Two tribes sue to halt expansion challenge
• North County Times: Pechanga sues to keep gambling deal
• KQED - John Myers' Capitol Notes: Tribes Ask Court To Block Referendums

Opponents of CA Indian gaming compacts begin turning in referendum signatures

10.05.07

California voters may be asked to decide Indian casino expansion

By Aaron C. Davis Associated Press

Opponents of a nearly 30 percent expansion of tribal gambling began turning in petition signatures Friday for what could prove to be latest ballot fight over Indian casinos in California.

A group opposing deals between four wealthy Southern California tribes and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said it has collected enough signatures to let voters decide if the agreements should be revoked. It said the rest of the signatures will be turned in by Monday to the secretary of state's office.

The deals, which were approved by the Legislature in June, would allow the four tribes to install as many as 17,000 additional slot machines.

In exchange, the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians in Palm Springs, the Morongo Band of Mission Indians in Cabazon, the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians in Temecula and Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation in San Diego would share a percentage of their earnings with the state.

But a coalition of two other tribes, horsetrack owners and a casino workers' union say the deals are flawed. The coalition consists of the United Auburn Indian Community east of Sacramento, the Pala Band of Mission Indians in Riverside County, Unite HERE International Union and Terry Fancher, managing partner of the parent company of Bay Meadows and Hollywood Park race tracks.

They point to a state analyst's report that found the gambling expansion for the four tribes would not provide as much money to the state as promised. They also argue the deals amount to one of the single largest expansions of gambling in the nation's history and a major shift in the state's policy toward Indian gambling.

Al Lundeen, spokesman for the coalition, said the group began turning in nearly 700,000 signatures to put four referenda against the compacts on the Feb. 5 presidential primary ballot.

"Voters want to have a say, and they want to say no to this drastic change in gaming policy," Lundeen said.

Roger Salazar, a consultant for the four tribes targeted by the coalition, said those opposing the agreements have their own interests in mind.

"Two wealthy tribes who don't want competition and a Las Vegas casino mogul were able to bankroll this signature-gathering effort," Salazar said. "We think these are good agreements, and voters will feel the same when they learn more."

Tribes already operate more than 58,000 slot machines in California, where the Indian gambling industry generated an estimated $7 billion in annual revenue last year.

Salazar said a competing petition drive by the Agua Caliente, Morongo, Pechanga and Sycuan tribes collected 100,000 signatures in support of the compacts.

The tribes also sent workers to follow opposition signature gatherers and convinced nearly 15,000 of those who signed to rescind their signatures.

If the secretary of state certifies the referenda, the tribes likely would spend tens of millions of dollars to sway voters.

CA voters could decide fate of four casino expansions

10.01.07

GAMING NEWS

Voters may decide tribal casinos' fate

CALIFORNIA -- As reported by the North County Times: "Voters may get a chance in February to decide whether the Pechanga Resort & Casino near Temecula and three other Southern California Indian casinos should get any bigger.

"Racetrack owners, two tribes and a labor union are backing a signature-gathering effort to challenge the agreements that Pechanga and three other tribes signed with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger earlier this year.

"The agreements would allow the four tribes ---- the Pechanga, Agua Caliente, Morongo and Sycuan bands ---- to operate up to 7,500 from 2,000 slots that each has now in exchange for a sharing their earnings with the state.

"...A nonpartisan analyst for the state Legislature said the tribe's estimates on how much the state is likely to get from the agreements appears to be unrealistic. And Pechanga officials have said that the tribe does not plan to install all ---- or any ---- of the 5,500 machines right away.

"...It is not the first time that tribal casinos have been challenged at the ballot box. In 2004, racetracks and card club owners backed a proposition targeting tribal casinos..."

http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/09/30/news/top_stories/23_50_779_29_07.prt

CA Gaming Compact foes form uneasy alliance

As reported 9.27.07 in The Roundup, a daily look at the news from the editors of Capitol Weekly and AroundTheCapitol.com (part of the national Hotline Political Network):

Temporary alliances

Capitol Weekly takes a look at the strange alliance that is working to repeal four recent tribal gaming compacts. "For more than three years, the Pala Band of Mission Indians and the United Auburn Indian Community have been locked in a legal struggle with racetrack owners over the validity of gaming deals the tribes signed with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

"But now, even as their internecine legal battle continues, the courtroom combatants have joined forces in an effort to repeal four new compacts ratified by the Legislature earlier this year.

"The legal fight is largely motivated by one man's struggle to bring slot machines to the racetracks his company owns and operates. Terry Fancher is the managing partner of Stockbridge Capital Group, the parent company of Hollywood Park and Bay Meadows racetracks. Since September 2004, Fancher and the racetracks he runs have sought to have the Pala and Auburn compacts ruled invalid by the courts."

"The lawsuit has been long and contentious.But now, in a relationship of convenience, forces on both sides of that legal question are fighting against the 2006 compacts signed by Schwarzenegger for some of the state's largest gaming tribes. " (Full Story)

San Manuel Gaming Compact poised for legislative approval

as posted 9.06.07 at the Sacramento Bee's CapitolAlert:

San Manuel signs side agreement - compact could move as soon as today

By Shane Goldmacher - Capitol Alert

The San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, whose Indian gambling compact stalled earlier this year in the Legislature, signed a "letter of agreement" on Wednesday with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and expects lawmakers to begin moving the measure as soon as today.

Jerry Paresa, director of governmental affairs for San Manuel, said he believed that the tribe had struck a deal with Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez and the Assembly Democrats, who have blocked passage of the compact, which would allow the San Bernardino County tribe to add up to 5,500 new slot machines at its casinos.

"Yes, that's our hope," Paresa said.

The "letter of agreement," or LOA, is similar to the memoranda of agreement four other gambling tribes signed earlier this year to win passage of their compacts in the Assembly.

In the agreement, the San Manuel tribe agrees to provide an annual financial audit to the state. The LOA, however, does not address the issues of problem gambling and child and spousal support, which were in the MOAs of the other tribes.

Paresa said the letter of agreement was expected to be amended into Assembly Bill 1212, authored by Nunez, and moved out of the Senate as soon as today.

"We've been working with the Assembly Democrats and the Assembly in general at least since January," said Paresa. "I believe all parties have been on the same page all along."

Tussling over labor and other provisions slowed progress for the five compacts, which were first signed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in August 2006. But San Manuel's workers have already been unionized.

Steve Maviglio, a spokesman for Nunez, said, "San Manuel has a collective bargaining agreement, so they have addressed our labor concerns. If the LOA, as part of the total package, addresses the other issues we had with other tribes, it will likely be enough to get our support."

Sen. Dean Florez, who is the chair of the Governmental Organization committee, which held hearings on the compacts earlier this year, said the Senate was prepared to grant rule waivers and move the San Manuel bill today, saying the new letter added little to a compact the Senate approved months ago.

"At the end of the day, it doesn't really add anything from a strength point of view to what the Senate passed," Florez said. "I don't think a letter makes the Senate less comfortable." The Senate passed the compacts earlier this year.

The compacts for the four other tribes - the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation, the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians, the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians and the Morongo Band of Mission Indians - would allow the tribes to add 17,000 more slots, and are currently the target of a referendum campaign to repeal the measures.

Billionaire Detroit Casino Syndicators with ties to Las Vegas have launched California ad campaign against established gaming tribes

Detroit Funded Ad Campaign

This advertisement is funded by Billionaire Detroit Casino Syndicators who are exploiting Native American interests and trying to get a foot in the lucrative California gaming market.

Last Fall, the California Fair Political Practices Commission fined the promoters behind this advertising campaign for two counts of violating California's Political Reform Laws when they failed to report a $26,6000 contribution they made to the San Joaquin County GOP Committee in 2004.

Mrs. Marian Ilitch (founder of Little Caesars Pizza; family also owns Detroit Tigers and Detroit Red Wings) has previously partnered with Mandalay Resort Group and MGM Mirage. Her casino syndicate partner Michael Malik has partnered with Harrah's. The Michigan Gaming Control Board refused to grant her partner Michael Malik a gaming license in Michigan so now they're trying to break into the California market.

Together they're trying to push an unorthodox proposal to relocate two tribes from opposite ends of the state to a location in Barstow where they plan to develop and manage side-by-side off-reservation Indian Casinos for tribes that have no ancestral ties to the Barstow area.

Ilitch, Malik and their Las Vegas friends have spent millions trying to convince the California legislature to approve their Barstow scheme. They failed the last two years to win any legisaltive support so now they're joining with Labor Unions and Horse Racing Tracks in an attempt to beat up California's homegrown gaming tribes.

Several weeks ago their own lobbyist has already reported that their plans for Barstow casinos are dead in this year's legislature (the second year in a row Ilitch's team has failed to win support).

Angry Detroit casino syndicators tied to those behind CA casino referendum

as posted 8.28.07 at indianz.com:

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.

Get the Story:
Indian gambling battle brewing (The Los Angeles Times 8/28)
Username: indianz@indianz.com, Password: indianzcom

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.

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.

Labor Union, Racetracks seek statewide vote on slots

7.28.07

Union, tracks seek slots vote
Tribal gambling expansion threatens jobs, doesn't help workers, they say.

By Peter Hecht - Bee Capitol Bureau

Representatives for hotel and casino workers and two leading California horse racing tracks Friday announced a petition drive to force a statewide vote on four major tribal gambling expansions in Southern California.

Officials for the UNITE HERE union and the Hollywood Park and Bay Meadows racetracks filed papers with the state attorney general's office late Friday seeking a Feb. 5 referendum on agreements that would add 17,000 new casino slot machines.

If the groups succeed in gathering 443,971 valid signatures of registered voters by Oct. 10, Californians can count on one of the most expensive and combative ballot fights in recent years.

"We are doing this because the largest single expansion of gambling in American history does not provide appropriate worker rights," said Jack Gribbon, political director for UNITE HERE. "It's clear these compacts just make a small gambling cartel in Southern California rich and do nothing for poor Indian tribes."

The referendum seeks to overturn controversial gambling agreements that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed and the Legislature approved for four tribes: the Morongo Band of Mission Indians, the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians, the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians and the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation.

In a statement Friday, Pechanga tribal Chairman Mark Macarro called the referendum effort "an attack on the people, an attack on the governor and an attack on both houses of the Legislature.

"We will do what it takes to protect our agreement with the state," he added.

Under the agreements, the four tribes can each install between 3,000 and 5,500 new slot machines. They each now operate 2,000 slot machines, earning $200 million to $425 million each, according to 2005 financial reports.

Union activists are furious that the governor and the Legislature didn't require the tribes to accept provisions allowing workers to organize by collecting signed cards instead of holding secret ballot elections. Such language was included in accords signed in 2004 with other gambling tribes.

Meanwhile, racetrack owners have long fumed that burgeoning Indian gambling is severely shrinking their business.

Greg Larson, a spokesman for Bay Meadows and Hollywood Park, charged in a statement that the gambling agreements threaten the jobs of 50,000 racetrack workers.

He said the fact that tribes have an exclusive right to operate Nevada-style slot machines has "a negative impact on horse racing" and harms the California industry's ability "to compete with racetracks in other states."

Patrick Dorinson, a spokesman for the Morongo tribe in Riverside County, said Friday that state coffers would suffer dearly if the gambling agreements were overturned by voters.

"California voters need to know that without these compacts, California's current budget deficit will only grow," he said. "These compacts provide a new source of revenue for critical programs such as health care and the environment."

Schwarzenegger, in signing gambling compacts with five major tribes last year, said the gambling deals could generate $13.4 billion to $22.4 billion in tribal revenue-sharing payments to the state over 25 years.

One of the tribes -- the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians in San Bernardino -- is still awaiting approval in the Legislature for its bid to add up to 5,500 new slot machines.

"The governor stands by his compacts. He believes they are good for the state, the tribes and the local communities," the governor's spokeswoman, Sabrina Lockhart, said Friday.

Representatives for other major casino tribes -- including the United Auburn tribe near Sacramento and the Pala tribe in San Diego County -- participated in discussions on the ballot referendum to block the Southern California casino expansions.

But Howard Dickstein, an attorney for the tribes, said Friday they haven't decided on whether to participate or financially support the ballot effort.

Labor's Gribbon and others threatening statewide referendum to overturn California's recently approved gaming compacts

California Union Boss Jack Gribbon, is considering a statewide referendum to overturn recent tribal Gaming Compacts negotiated by Governor Schwarzenegger and approved by both the California Senate and Assembly.

Gribbon who heads up the hotel workers union UNITE-HERE had hoped to block the compacts from being approved by the legistature without additional provisions expanding the powers of unions to organize in tribal casinos. Despite mounting a full on six month assault that began in January and building a coalition that included Detroit casino syndicators Barwest LLC, Las Vegas interests, a broad spectrum of Labor interests, women and others, Gribbon failed to make a difference. All powerful Labor has met its match in the gaming tribes after ruling California politics for decades.

John Myers at Capitol Notes reports:

"And while there's still some time to see if this actually happens, that time is limited. A referendum must be submitted for the ballot within 90 days of the statute being enacted (a timeline triggered by Schwarzenegger's signature earlier this week). And it would take about 434,000 signatures per casino compact... or more than 1.7 million... to get four separate ballot measure referendums qualified.That would take a lot of money; but then again, all of the interests involved have deep pockets. And the political battle, if it happens, could be epic."

Casino approvals a humbling defeat for Labor

6.28.07

Analysis: Lawmakers' approval of casino expansions a humbling defeat for organized labor

By Peter Hecht
Bee Capitol Bureau

Analysis
As state lawmakers Thursday voted to allow four of California's richest casino gambling tribes to add a total of up to 17,000 new slot machines, the vote was a humbling defeat for organized labor.

Before the final vote, Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez declared that he had extracted verbal promises that unions could organize workers on tribal lands. But securing the last-minute statements - which have no force of law - was merely a face-saving gesture for many Democratic lawmakers long allied with labor.

The result left Art Pulaski, executive secretary-treasurer of the California Labor Federation, fuming. Even before the final vote, Pulaski put out a statement saying Legislature had "abandoned California's 100,000 current and future casino workers who now risk languishing among the working poor."

Unions have long been a muscular power player in the Democrat-controlled Legislature. But this time, labor's intense campaign to force union-friendly provisions on the tribes lost mightily in the face of the tribe's soaring political influence - and financial clout - in the Capitol.

Pacing outside the Capitol, Pulaski said lawmakers had caved in out of fear that "money from those casinos will be spent against them" in election races.

"You have to make a choice between the power of money and the authenticity of the grassroots people," he angrily said. "Because the people always win."

But this time, at least for people who are union activists, the tribes won in a rout. (Complete Story)

Schwarzenegger releases statement following Assembly ratification of compacts he negotiated almost a year ago

Governor Schwarzenegger, yesterday, issued this statement after the state Assembly ratified four of five Tribal gaming Compacts he had negotiated with some of Southern California's most successful gaming tribes more than 10 months ago.

The primary stumbling block had been opposition by Organized Labor lead by UNITE-Here's political director Jack Gribbon. While certain labor related concerns of key legislative caucuses were addressed in side agreements with the tribes; However, Labor's major desires were brushed aside in order to ratify the agreements before the close of the fiscal year. The agreements are estimated to bring hundreds of millions in much needed new revenue to the state's coffers.

PRESS RELEASE

06/28/2007 ........................FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Gov. Schwarzenegger Issues Statement Regarding Legislative Votes on Tribal Gaming Compacts Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger issued the following statement following the Assembly votes on a new tribal gaming compact with the Yurok tribe and the amended tribal gaming compacts for the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians; the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation; the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians and the Morongo Band of Mission Indians tribes: “I applaud the legislature for working in the best interest of California by approving five compacts today. These compacts, which were negotiated in good faith with sovereign nations, enhance collaboration between local governments, offset environmental impacts and generate significant revenue for the state. “While this is a significant step forward, more work still needs to be done. I urge the Assembly to ratify the San Manuel compact, and the legislature to ratify the Big Lagoon and Los Coyotes compacts because every day of delay literally costs the state millions of dollars for the important programs Californians rely upon such as education, public safety and health care.” http://gov.ca.gov/index.php?/print-version/press-release/6823/

Tribes win Sacramento Compact ratification; defeat labor

Casino pacts with Indians win approval

10:00 PM PDT on Thursday, June 28, 2007

By JIM MILLER and MICHELLE DeARMOND
The Press-Enterprise

SACRAMENTO - California lawmakers approved major gambling deals with four Southern California tribes Thursday, paving the way for some of the world's largest casinos in the Inland area and dealing organized labor a major defeat.

With no debate, the Assembly voted to ratify lucrative slot-machine agreements with the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians, the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, the Morongo Band of Mission Indians -- all from Riverside County -- and the Sycuan Band of Kumeyaay Indians in San Diego County.

The votes end a 10-month battle between politically powerful tribes and unions, who claim that the deals fail to protect casino workers trying to organize.

The 23-year agreements, known as compacts, still need federal approval before they can take effect next year.

If the agreements are enacted, they would allow the tribes to nearly double the number of slot machines in Riverside and San Bernardino counties, bringing the total to about 30,000 and creating casinos with potentially twice as many slot machines as some of the biggest casinos in Las Vegas, such as the MGM Grand. In exchange, the state would get a share of the tribes' slot-machine profits, earning the state up to $800 million annually.

Thursday's votes come just two days before the start of the new fiscal year, with lawmakers anxious for any additional revenue.

Story continues below

2005 / The Press-Enterprise

The new agreement would allow the Pechanga Resort and Casino in Temecula to add 5,500 slot machines. A poll in May showed that a majority of Inland residents did not support increasing the number of slot machines in their communities.

Lawmakers also approved Thursday separate side deals negotiated in recent weeks to address Democrats' concerns about the compacts. The deals call for casino audits, enforcement of child-support orders, and other rules.

Excluded from Thursday's action was the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians. The tribe, which has a casino near San Bernardino, refused to sign a side deal and still needs Assembly approval for a renegotiated compact to expand its casino by 5,500 slot machines.

The renegotiated compacts generated intense lobbying and negotiating since emerging in August. A poll late last month by The Press-Enterprise showed that a majority of Inland residents did not support increasing the number of slot machines in their communities.

All Inland lawmakers backed the compacts.

Labor Outcry

Thursday's votes marked a crushing loss for labor unions, who complain that the compacts do too little to ensure casino workers' right to organize. Dozens of union members worked the Capitol, contacting majority Democrats typically sympathetic to labor, but in the end not one Assembly member Thursday raised those concerns.

Jack Gribbon, political director for Unite-Here, the hotel and restaurant employees union that would like to organize California casino workers, blasted Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, D-Los Angeles.

Nunez told lawmakers that tribal leaders assured him that they would not retaliate against workers who wanted to unionize. But Gribbon called the pledges meaningless.

"It's just more cover to make him seem like a good guy, like he actually accomplished something here, rather than turning his back on tens of thousands of the working poor," Gribbon said.

"It's not over," Gribbon added.

Union officials plan to meet today to talk about what to do next, he said. Possibilities range from challenging the compacts through a referendum to mounting a casino organizing push to test tribes' pledges of fairness, he said.

Agua Caliente Chairman Richard Milanovich said he promised Nunez the tribe will follow the terms of tribal labor-union rules adopted in 2000, which remain in effect under the renegotiated agreements. He said he was frustrated by the lawmakers' insistence on the side deals.

The tribe already does what is contained in the legislation, Milanovich said.

"It was exasperating for all of us to go through the process once we got to this point," he said. "Why did it take so ... long? Why?"

Nunez, who cut his teeth in the labor movement, rejected labor leaders' complaints that he had abandoned casino workers.

"I support them and I support them going onto these tribal casinos and organizing their members," he said. "But I didn't negotiate the compacts. The governor negotiated the compacts."

Gov. Schwarzenegger released a written statement praising the Assembly vote. He called on lawmakers, however, to ratify the compact with San Manuel and two other agreements pending in Sacramento.

The Los Coyotes Band of Cahulla and Cupeno Indians in San Diego County and Big Lagoon Rancheria in Humboldt County want to build side-by-side casinos in Barstow, but have yet to get approval in either house.

Side Deals

Legislative advisers said the side deals between Schwarzenegger and the tribes likely are unprecedented in the history of Indian gambling, although the Department of Interior was unable to verify that. A spokeswoman for the Department of Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs also would not comment on how the Interior Department might handle the side deals.

I. Nelson Rose, an international gambling expert, said he was unaware of any tribes enacting similar memoranda with states "because the right way to do it is to put it in the compact." By not making these agreements part of the compact, Nelson said they may not be enforceable.

Tribes have sovereign immunity. They would have to waive that in order for such an agreement to be binding and they need to have federal approval, he said.

Howard Dickstein, an attorney for several tribes who signed renegotiated compacts in 2004, said the side agreements are not enforceable if they're not part of a compact. If lawmakers send the memoranda to the Interior Department, the Interior secretary may say the deals are nonbinding and ratify the compacts but not the side deals, known as memoranda of agreement.

The Interior Department may decide "the MOAs are effectively a nullity, and the Legislature just got snookered," he said. "That's a real possibility."

Four of Five Tribes sign side deals with Schwarzenegger; Assembly still must ratify Compacts but not new MOAs

posted 6.27.07 by John Myers at KQED's Capitol Notes:

Governor, Tribes Sign Side Deals

After weeks of private meetings and negotiations, Governor Schwarzenegger has signed agreements with four politically powerful Indian gaming tribes that are effectively side deals to the formal casino compacts negotiated last year.

The agreements, technically known as 'memoranda of understanding,' (MOA) are between the state and the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, the Morongo Band of Mission Indians, the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians, and the Sycuan Band of Kumeyaay Indians.

The side deals have been a hot topic of discussion for some time, and have been seen as the key to getting the renegotiated casino compacts through the Legislature. Those compacts have been stalled in the Assembly on issues that have-- at one time or another-- ranged from organized labor criticisms to the auditing powers of casino profits.

In recent days, the buzz has been that the deals were about to be struck, with much of the heavy lifting done by Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez. But that buzz has always focused on the MOAs and how they would need to be approved by both chambers of the Legislature.

This afternoon's announcement makes it clear that these are "government to government" agreements between Schwarzenegger and the tribes. So... do they need to be ratified by the Legislature?

The governor's staff admits that while technically they don't need a legislative blessing, the governor is seeking to have them approved in the Assembly and Senate. And advisers say legislative approval will make the legality of the MOAs that much more certain.

This is no small issue. In fact, it would seem quite possible that legislators... who have, at times, strongly disagreed with the content of any tribal side deals... could just take a pass on the MOAs and let them take effect without any formal votes. That would certainly sidestep, among many issues, the thorny problem of labor union opposition to both the MOAs and the revised compacts.

The side deals' most important provisions pertain to the auditing of slot machines and other Vegas-style casino games... a process that was thrown ito question by a federal court ruling that seems to have taken auditing power away from the National Indian Gaming Commission. The MOAs say that the tribes will continue to maintain standards that are no less strict than those the NIGC has been imposing.

It should be noted that the other big gaming tribe with a pending compact in the Legislature, the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, did not agree to sign the new MOA.

The new side deals are expected to be up for discussion tomorrow morning in a legislative hearing.

Full details on the MOAs are here.

Legislative roller coaster to ratify five Tribal Gaming Compacts reportedly back on track

6.27.07

Gambling compacts still need final OK


By James P. Sweeney
COPLEY NEWS SERVICE

SACRAMENTO – A group of powerful Southern California Indian tribes have reached a tentative accord with Assembly Democrats that could clear the way for ratification of multibillion-dollar gambling compacts that have been stalled since August.

The compromises on issues such as casino operating standards and workers' compensation are outlined in a five-page “memorandum of agreement” signed June 21 by Danny Tucker, chairman of the Sycuan band of El Cajon.

That document and a similar one signed by Pechanga Chairman Mark Macarro appear to be awaiting the signature of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who has been in Europe since Saturday. Schwarzenegger was scheduled to return to the Capitol today.

The governor's attorneys have been involved in developing the side agreements and reportedly have signed off on them. A spokesman for the governor declined to comment.

In addition to Sycuan and Pechanga of Temecula, the pending compacts were negotiated by Agua Caliente of Palm Springs, Morongo of Riverside County and San Manuel of San Bernardino County.

All but San Manuel have embraced the basic terms of the side deals, tribal and Capitol sources said. (Complete Story)


http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/state/20070627-9999-1n27casinos.html

UNITE-HERE Not Ready to Accept Defeat in Sacramento

posted at Working Californians Clock in at the WC blog:


Workers Rally for Free Choice Rights
posted by Julia Rosen 06.19.07

The voices of the casino workers were heard within the Capitol today. Hundreds of red-shirted workers gathered on the North steps for a rally and then marched inside in an orderly fashion to do some lobbying. The event culminated as over two hundred UNITE-HERE members chanted from the second story of the rotunda "¡Si, Se Puede!" just steps from the office of Speaker Fabian Nunez. The dome amplified the chants as staffers poked their heads out of their office doors and the CHP scrambled to ensure the direct action did not get out of control.