Station Casinos venture near Sacramento may face snags

Thursday, Oct. 14, 1999 | 9:51 a.m.

For more than a year, critics of a casino proposed by the 160-member tribe have argued that any gambling complex would be inappropriate for the largely residential area just east of Sacramento, near Interstate 80 in California's Gold Country.

Hundreds of neighbors in the nearby communities of Rocklin, Roseville and Lincoln have spoken against the proposal at city council meetings, saying they fear an increase in crime, drug and alcohol abuse, and gambling woes after a casino opening.

The three city councils have unanimously issued nonbinding recommendations that county and federal officials should oppose construction of a casino.

"Vegas, that's where I think this stuff should stay," said Roseville Mayor Harry Crabb. "The things that gambling brings, we all know what happens. We don't like the idea that it's so close to the churches and schools in our communities."

Tribal leaders counter by saying that the casino is needed to raise their members' living standard.

"This is a tribe that has many members living at or below the poverty line," said tribal spokesman Doug Elmets. "They have not had the opportunity to create a business entity that can thrive. Indian gaming clearly offers that opportunity."

Plans call for a $100 million investment by the tribe and Station to build a 200,000-square-foot casino that would hold more than 1,500 slot machines and 50 table games, restaurants and entertainment settings.

"Unfortunately, being in the gaming industry we're subject to some criticisms," said Station Casinos Chief Financial Officer Glenn Christenson. "We believe if we can get people to focus on facts about gaming and its benefits to the community most will come to the conclusion that the significant benefits all outweigh the perceived downside."

Company officials said they hope to have the property open by early 2002, but opponents note that the tribe has yet to receive the OK of the Bureau of Indian Affairs to purchase the 49-acre site, which the federal agency would then have to designate as sovereign Indian land.

Scott Smith, a Sacramento lawyer representing the group Citizens for Safer Communities, which opposes the project, said Station Casinos and the tribe are overly optimistic when they point to that 2002 opening date.

"The first line of attack is we are going to oppose the decision of the federal government to take land into trust," Smith said. "If the (Bureau of Indian Affairs) chooses to take the land into trust in all likelihood we'll sue the BIA."