The city of Barstow, California, has a hired a lobbyist to help gain approval of an off-reservation casino for the Los Coyotes Band of Cahuilla and Cupeno Indians.

The lobbyist, Joe A. Gonsalves & Son, will work at the state level, The Desert Dispatch reported. "More recently, it became apparent that the city needed a more proactive presence in the state capital,” the city's assistant manager told the paper.

The Bush administration rejected the proposed casino because Barstow is more than 100 miles from the Los Coyotes Reservation. But the Obama administration restarted the process and the Bureau of Indian Affairs prepared a new environmental impact statement for the project.

That was over a year ago, in July 2011. There appears to have been little movement in the process since then.

Get the Story:
City hires lobbyist to push for Indian gaming casino (The Desert Dispatch 9/25)

Federal Register Notice:
Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Los Coyotes Band of Cahuilla and Cupeno Indians' 23-Acre Fee-to-Trust Transfer and Casino-Hotel Project, City of Barstow, San Bernardino County, CA (July 1, 2011)

Related Stories:
City holding hope for Los Coyotes Band off-reservation casino (7/27)