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California Casino Issue Could Merge with Land Issues

FAIRFIELD, California – As reported by the (Fairfield, California) Daily Record: "A proposal for an Indian casino in Suisun Valley could merge gambling wars with growth wars.

"Gambling wars go on in many places where American Indians propose a casino. For example, Antioch and Rohnert Park could get casinos and have debated whether gambling is a good thing.

"But those casinos are proposed for land that is targeted for some type of development. The local casino proposal has an added dimension.

"The Guidiville Band of Pomo Indians is looking at Suisun Valley, a long-time sacred cow in local growth debates. The proposed site is 430 acres at Rockville and Abernathy roads near Fairfield. Existing county and Fairfield laws call for Suisun Valley to remain in agriculture.

"…The Guidiville band, in its quest for a casino site, has stepped into this. And the tribe has a weapon other would-be developers can only dream of: the ability to have land declared sovereign territory unaffected by local land use laws.

"…Solano County Supervisor Duane Kromm believes the tribe doesn't have much of an understanding of Solano County, he said. In particular, he referred to a county law that says all development should take place in cities.

"…Finding a site within a city would take the growth war dimension out of the casino proposal. Then the tribe would deal with such familiar but formidable issues as gambling and traffic…"

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