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Refinery Owner Fights Casino

RICHMOND, California -- ChevronTexaco Corp. has made a last-minute bid to stop the construction of a casino near its Richmond refinery.

The San Ramon-based oil giant on Friday offered to pay the city of Richmond $34 million to buy a former Navy base at Point Molate, where the Guidiville Band of Pomo Indians and an Emeryville developer want to build a gambling complex with 1,100 hotel rooms and 3,000 slot machines.

Chevron said the casino will attract thousands of visitors that could threaten its refinery's security. In a news conference with environmental groups Friday, Chevron officials said they want to convert the land to an open-space preserve with possible industrial uses.

Richmond city officials said they welcomed Chevron's bid, though Councilman Tom Butt said the bid was not competitive with the bid from the casino's backers.

The Richmond City Council is expected to consider the casino in coming weeks.

Copyright © Las Vegas Sun. Inc. Republished with permission.

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