To Build Or Not To Build

"Our civic government has let us down," said Worthington, "All the neighbors around here are going crazy. This land was supposed to be a greenbelt." But other residents, including city officials, believe that the tribe and its casino would offer a significant economic boost to the cash-strapped city.

A news release published Tuesday promised thousands of high-paying union jobs for the Rohnert Park community; a revenue stream to local schools, parks, health facilities and public safety departments; millions of dollars to city businesses; and traffic and road improvements to the surrounding area.

Jake Mackenzie, a Rohnert Park councilman, was the first official to invite the Graton Rancheria to relocate its plan to his city of 42,000. He made the offer at a June City Council meeting. Mackenzie said consultants with the tribe called him the next day. Rohnert Park Mayor Armando Flores has joined the councilman in supporting the tribe's move north.

Hazel Brubaker, who lives in nearby Cotati, said the tribe has every right to bring its business to town. I'm for a casino. This city is losing money ... and the city needs jobs, she said. "They haven't been treated right as history shows. As far as a casino is concerned, I don't see why not. As long as they keep it under control.

The new proposed site just north of the Rohnert Park expressway is located in an agriculturally zoned area. A portion of the site encompasses Laguna de Santa Rosa, a marsh home to endangered plants and rare species such as the tiger salamander. Worthington, the man leading the opposition, says he hopes the environmental groups that railed against the Sears Point plan will join him in the fight to keep the casino away from the new Rohnert Park site. Worthington said he has already received dozens of phone calls from people wanting to help.

But Worthington and other casino opponents will have to contend with what appears to be a sizable group of Rohnert Park citizens supporting the proposal. Graton Rancheria representatives will offer a presentation at a special meeting of the Rohnert Park City Council at 6 p.m. on Wednesday. The council will form a committee to review the tribe's proposal. The tribe hopes to build a casino facility with 1,900 slot machines, a hotel, and possibly housing and an entertainment center on the 360 acres it secured Tuesday. The tribe also pledges to donate 2,000 acres of Sears Point land it owns to Sonoma County, and establish an open space and tribal information center there, according to Graton Ranch-eria Chairman Greg Sarris.

"Local leaders asked us - and we agreed - to find a site where we could partner with the local community, protect the environment and provide maximum economic benefits for local residents and business," Sarris said Tuesday. "We believe we have that opportunity in Rohnert Park."