The
Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) is giving an off-reservation casino in California a second review after it was rejected by former assistant secretary
Carl Artman. This latest off-reservation scheme is another attempt by Detroit-based casino syndicators to establish gambling in Barstow, CA.
In
a notice published in the Federal Register on 6.06.08, the BIA said it will prepare another Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on the off-reservation casino sought by the
Los Coyotes Band of Cahuilla and Cupeño Indians and its partners at Detroit-based
Barwest LLC (
Marian Ilitch and
Michael J. Malik, Sr.). Ilitch and Malik were behind the push to establish gambling in Detroit, MI; and Ilitch is the owner of Detroit's
MotorCity Casino. For more than a decade, Malik has been trying to push plans through Congress for another off-reservation casino in Port Huron, MI.
According to the Notice, the Los Coyotes tribe seeks to acquire 45 acres in Barstow, more than 100 miles from its reservation. The 45-acre parcel, and at least another 50 acres or more, are currently controlled by Barwest's Michael Malik.
Through Barwest, Malik and Marian Ilitch would transfer title over the property to be held in trust for the San Diego-based Los Coyotes tribe. In exchange, the casino syndicators get the exclusive rights to develop and manage the future casino and resort. Malik and Ilitch could take as much as 30% of the tribe's annual casino earnings back to Detroit.
Artman
rejected the Barwest/Los Coyotes project in January because he said the gaming site was too far from the reservation. However, the Los Coyotes tribe, encouraged by its financial backers, renewed the proposal.
The
Big Lagoon Rancheria was part of Barwest's previous proposal for a dual-casinos resort project in Barstow but the Rancheria is no longer seeking an off-reservation casino. That previous dual-casinos plan would have split the 45-acre parcel between the two tribes.
Now, Barwest seeks to transfer its entire 45-acre Barstow parcel for the exclusive use of the Los Coyotes tribe. A
Municipal Services Agreement (MSA) between the Los Coyotes tribe and the
City of Barstow allows for a Los Coyotes casino resort project
not to exceed 20 acres. This latest scheme is more than twice that size.
In 2004, Governor
Arnold Schwarzenegger rejected plans for a Los Coyotes stand-alone casino on 20-acres in Barstow. And in 2006 & 2007, the California Legislature failed to approve plans for the proposed dual-casinos resort.
The
6.06.08 Federal Register Notice gives the public until July 7th to comment on "what should be covered" in the new EIS.
