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Contrary views of RP casino debated
Graton tribe's plan described as both dream, nightmare
A prominent supporter and opponent of a casino resort proposed near Rohnert Park squared off in a debate Wednesday, alternately describing the facility as either "a dream" or "a nightmare."
"This is a business place to embellish a dream they have," said Susan Moore, the president of Friends of the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, the tribe planning the destination resort in partnership with Station Casinos of Las Vegas.
Moore listed benefits including 3,000 union jobs with promises of health benefits and child care for casino employees.
She said there will be Broadway shows, major conventions and people traveling from as far away as Japan to stay.
Susan Adams, the chairwoman of the Rohnert Park Planning Commission, countered that "the beautiful dream (Moore) described for the tribe would be a nightmare for the citizens of Sonoma County."
She said a casino would create major traffic problems, generating at least 20,000 more vehicle trips daily, lead to an increase in crime and gambling addiction and hurt existing businesses.
The two women appeared in an hourlong debate attended by about two dozen people at the Sonoma County Democratic Party headquarters that was polite but nevertheless demonstrated sharp disagreements over the casino.
Adams held up photos of the barred fronts of homes near a casino in Southern California, along with proliferating pawn shops. She said a casino would take away people's discretionary income so that money is "taken out of the economy, tax base and the pockets of people who can least afford to be going to a casino and gambling."
Moore argued that a casino would create economic benefit for surrounding businesses, including restaurants and hotels.
She noted that the tribe was nearly obliterated in the late 1800s by genocide and said it has the right to build a casino.
"There is no place that people want this resort casino," Moore said. "They have a right to this legally."
She said there always will be opposition from people who believe gambling is a sin.
Besides improving the lot of the 1,100-member tribe, Moore said the casino resort would contribute to wider goals of environmental restoration and public safety.
The tribe, for example, has given more than $2 million to Rohnert Park for a special police unit. Moore credited the unit for a drop in crime.
But Adams said the money going toward public safety programs won't be enough to offset increased crime and other problems.
And she said the water table is imperiled by the tribe's plan to drill wells, despite its intent to conserve and recycle water.
Moore noted the tribe has made contributions to preserve open space and for wetlands education for the Laguna de Santa Rosa, which she said the tribe considers "sacred land."
As president of the Friends of the Graton Rancheria, Moore heads a board of directors that works closely with the tribe and includes leaders in the labor, legal, human rights and environmental communities.
The group, financed by the Graton Rancheria, was formed in response to the county Human Rights Commission, which was accused of delaying an investigation of complaints of racism against the tribe.
The Graton Rancheria is backed by Station Casinos, which spent a record $100 million in 2005 to buy 270 acres west of Rohnert Park to develop the casino and resort.
As proposed, the casino would include a hotel, spa and performing arts center, encompassing more than 760,000 square feet, on par with some of the biggest casinos in the state.
The project has been delayed by a federal environmental review that began in early 2004, but the latest estimate is that it could be completed by April.
Graton Rancheria still needs to have the land for the casino taken into trust by the Department of the Interior and designated a reservation.
The tribe also needs to obtain a compact from Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, essentially a gaming license that spells out the number of slot machines and card tables and other conditions, such as how much revenue would go to the state.
Wednesday's debate was sponsored by the Progressive Democrats Sonoma County & Democracy for America..
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