Hollister
– An Indian tribe and investors interested in building a casino
near Highway 25 in San Benito County hope to finish environmental
and economic studies of the area by mid-September – the results of
which they believe will either propel or deflate the proposal’s
progress.
Hollister – An Indian tribe and investors interested in building a casino near Highway 25 in San Benito County hope to finish environmental and economic studies of the area by mid-September – the results of which they believe will either propel or deflate the proposal’s progress.
Those studies are on a checklist of necessities the group needs to fulfill before it can seriously consider building a proposed $100 million to $300 million casino, according to their attorney, Phillip Thompson.
Additionally, the group is seeking to buy a plot of land to accommodate a massive casino and the parking lots it would require. And the group must get the governor and federal Bureau of Indian Affairs to sign off on the project, too.
As part of the environmental and economic studies under way, the group has been evaluating sewer capacity, water supply and roadway access to a potential site, among other potential impacts, according to Thompson. One city official thinks a new casino could affect the needed capacity at Hollister’s new sewer plant.
The California Valley band of Miwok Indians and its investors have been courting local and state officials on an idea to build a casino near the San Benito-Santa Clara county line along the rural corridor. The tribe and its investors are evaluating sites on both sides of the county border.
Thompson confirmed Monday it’s the five-member California Valley band of Miwoks, based in Stockton, behind the proposal. They’ve hooked up with two recently-formed Santa Clara County investment groups called Game Won and Game Too.
Kirk Rossmann, head of the investment groups and one of the founders of Heritage Bank, believes a casino would “provide an enormous boost to the overall prosperity of that area,” he said in a press statement issued Monday. Other investors include Sal Rubino, a farmer whose family has lived in Santa Clara County since 1892, Joe Giacalone, a lifelong resident of the area who owns an electrical contracting firm, and Pepper Snyder, owner of Sprig Electric.
San Benito County supervisors Pat Loe and Reb Monaco, Supervisor-elect Don Marcus and Santa Clara County Supervisor Don Gage all have confirmed they’ve held meetings with investors.
Representatives from the group also have held two meetings with Gov. Schwarzenegger’s top negotiator on Indian gaming, according to Vince Sollitto, a press spokesman with the governor’s office.
The governor has indicated there would have to be “broad and strong” local support before he considers signing a compact agreement, Sollitto said Monday.
Through discussions with local officials, Thompson said three concerns resonate: the negative impacts of a casino, such as additional crime; traffic congestion; and sewer capacity. They’d be willing to pony up “fair contributions” toward infrastructure improvements.
Two touchy concerns in Hollister are Highway 25 safety, with more than 20 fatalities since 2000, and sewer capacity.
With increasing growth pressures, and on the heels of a 15-million gallon sewer spill in 2002, Hollister is building a $38 million sewer plant it expects to finish in late 2005.
Hollister City Manager Clint Quilter believes plans for the sewer plant may need an overhaul if a casino goes up. Quilter, though, wasn’t sure if Hollister or Gilroy would have to take in the additional waste.
“It would completely change everything if you had that much (additional disposal),” said Quilter, who doesn’t know details of the plan and hasn’t talked with members of the group.
Thompson has said the group is willing to listen to officials’ demands on such a project, along with residents’ complaints; the group plans to hold public hearings in September or October.
Rossmann said the benefits reach beyond jobs and added business – revenues from gaming support educational grants, job training, health services, public safety and charities.
Local governments aren’t guaranteed kickbacks – sales taxes or otherwise – from revenues at tribe-operated casinos.
Thompson has indicated they will compensate local government, and Sheriff Curtis Hill, who opposes a casino, said the group offered to build a satellite sheriff’s station near the casino.
“One of the reasons we’re looking at San Benito County is that we haven’t had the firestorm of negative comments,” Thompson said.
Tribes often cut deals with governments to offset negative impacts. That was the case in Yolo County when the Rumsey band of Wintun Indians built the Cache Creek casino, according to Yolo County Supervisor Mike McGowan.
Thompson has said a casino here would be similar in size to the Cache Creek one – which is 66,000 square feet with 1,762 slot machines and 120 table games.
McGowan, also chairman of the gaming committee for the California State Association of Counties, said the Rumsey tribe fairly compensated local government. He offered advice to other counties where casinos are being proposed.
“Make sure you’re asking for anything you think will be relevant.”
