Rohnert Park Update – County Not Happy With Impact Report

The Federal Indians of the Graton Rancheria, who announced in the spring of 2003 their plans to build a casino/resort, issued their final environmental analysis last month.

Sonoma County officials are not satisfied that it adequately addresses several effects of the planned casino including traffic and the need to help people with compulsive gambling problems and will submit remarks reflecting this dissatisfaction to the National Indian Gaming Commission who must approve the final impact statement.

The planned casino which will include 2,000 class III Nevada-style slot machines, and a 300-room hotel resort, is proposed for the western side of Rohnert Park. Station Casinos of Las Vegas is financing the project but they have deep financial woes and are considering bankruptcy.

Sonoma County can always negotiate with the tribe later in regards to mitigating the effects of the planned casino even in the event the impact report is approved.

Another option would be to file a suit opposing the impact report or join up with other lawsuits which will probably be filed by Rohnert Park residents who have opposed the tribe’s plans from day one.

What throws me on this is that the tribe has yet to negotiate a compact with the governor and, when and if they do, it will have to be ratified by congress and then approved by the BIA.

Why go through 6 years of planning and lawsuits and meetings and counter lawsuits and reports and citizen protests without a ratified compact in place? It could be a lot of wasted time and money and heartache for nothing. I just don’t get it.