By Jessica Quandt and Serdar Tumgoren – Staff Writers
Hollister
– The California Valley Miwok tribe and its investors from Game
Won have announced they are ditching plans to build a resort/casino
in San Benito County, ending one of the region’s most controversial
development proposals.
By Jessica Quandt and Serdar Tumgoren – Staff Writers
Hollister – The California Valley Miwok tribe and its investors from Game Won have announced they are ditching plans to build a resort/casino in San Benito County, ending one of the region’s most controversial development proposals.
“We felt from the very beginning that if we weren’t going to be welcome there then we were going to leave,” Project Manager Gary Ramos said Thursday. “Between the county and the sheriff, we just figured that with a project of this magnitude and the number of dollars that we were trying to bring into the community, it would be better to go somewhere we were welcome. There were other areas that are much more friendly and welcoming and cooperative.”
The $200-million building project would have generated millions in annual revenues for local government agencies and several thousand jobs, according to casino representatives.
Ramos said the tribe will move its project to friendly territory “not that far” from the Hollister location. When asked if the Los Banos area is the target, Ramos hedged but did not deny it.
Obstacles to the casino proposal and its investors, a group that includes Gilroy residents Joe Giacalone and Chris Vanni, emerged in late August, when news leaked that the five-member tribe was looking to build a casino on about 200 acres near Hollister. Since then, concerned mayors from Gilroy, Hollister, and Morgan Hill, along with county supervisors from both Santa Clara and San Benito, have held a series of regional forums to stay abreast of the proposal.
South County officials were especially concerned over the project’s original location, which would have placed a casino off Highway 25 just south of the county border. Environmental and traffic concerns led investors to eventually relocate the project closer to Hollister airport, roughly 15 miles farther from Gilroy.
But most South County officials, like Gilroy Mayor Al Pinheiro and Santa Clara County Supervisor Don Gage, said they would reserve judgment until they saw specific plans.
Both leaders said Miwok representatives have not approached them personally about locating a casino in South County.
“I know that there’s a group of folks out there that just don’t want casinos,” Gage said. “I think that the City of Hollister saw the benefits. San Benito is a poor county. They’re not like Gilroy with the outlets.”
Ramos said investors focused on San Benito County “at the behest” of state officials, who said the area’s high unemployment rate and lack of commercial base could help smooth the way for a casino.
But of the three San Benito County government agencies directly affected, only the City of Hollister held off on formally condemning the project.
As recently as two weeks ago, Ramos said they intended to continue working with the city to detail their plans. That sentiment had shifted by Thursday, however, when Ramos said investors had decided it was time to move on, given the level of opposition from other agencies. In February, the San Benito County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to send a resolution opposing the casino to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. The San Juan Bautista City Council and Hollister Downtown Association quickly backed up the board’s decision by passing resolutions of their own.
The reaction to the news of the investors pulling out Thursday was mixed among Hollister and San Benito County officials, some saying they were thrilled to be rid of the divisive issue and others saying they were sorry to see the potential for up to 2,000 local jobs taken off the table.
“That’s wonderful,” said Supervisor Pat Loe when told the tribe would be looking elsewhere. “I really think that this shows the power of the people. If they really have strong opinions, it’s extremely important that they let the elected officials know what they think and let them voice their opinions as we were elected to do.”
But some members of the Hollister City Council said they were sorry to see the project leave before they could finish negotiations with investors.
“We were having really good negotiations. It was going really smoothly and they were getting all the information we were requiring,” said Hollister Mayor Pauline Valdivia. “But I think they were expecting the support from the board of supervisors. On my part, for the community it was a little disappointing because I looked at this as a business venture that could have brought in some jobs. I am a little disappointed we didn’t follow through more.”
Ramos said investors already have another location outside of San Benito County in mind, but he would not disclose it.
“It’s fair to say we’re going to be in the area not very far,” Ramos said. “We have been courted by several areas. This time we’ll look wider and harder to make sure we pick the best area.”
