Barstow Optimistic on Casino
City official says project may be part of Obama legacy
Desert Dispatch | 3.15.2016
A city official
believes there is a possibility that the U.S. Department of the Interior will
approve the environmental document for the proposed Indian casino in Lenwood by
the end of the year as part of President Barack Obama's legacy.
"We have
heard informally that there is the possibility that the study will be reviewed
and released by the Department of the Interior sometime before the end of the
Obama administration," Gaither Loewenstein said.
The economic
development and planning manager shared his perspective on the Los Coyotes Band
of Cahuilla and Cupeno Indians' bid to build a off-reservation casino in
Barstow with those attending the Barstow Area Chamber of Commerce breakfast
mixer at the Ramada Inn on Tuesday morning.
"There
is some sentiment that perhaps he (Obama) might want to approve this as a
legacy project. For that reason, we remain guarded but optimistic regarding the
casino," Loewenstein said.
Once the
project clears the federal government hurdle, a compact must be negotiated with
Gov. Jerry Brown and then approved by the state Legislature.
Loewenstein
admitted that there has been a lot of confusion over the approval process.
"The
confusing aspect of this project is that the stage it is at doesn't have
timelines associated with it," Loewenstein said. "It took them so
long to review it that the data got old. They had to get fresh data for the
environmental document. At this stage, the ball is in the Department of the
Interior's court."...
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