Editorial: Strategy needed to block Dry Creek Rancheria casino

Organizationally, city leaders have spent precious little time developing a comprehensive strategy to prevent the Dry Creek Rancheria Band of Pomos from turning the 277 acres of land it owns alongside Highway 101 at Kastania Road into a gargantuan casino. This is despite a clear message in 2006 from nearly 80 percent of local voters who said they want their elected officials to do everything in their power to stop a casino.

Hand wringing will not get the job done.

The Dry Creek tribe, led by Chairman Harvey Hopkins, operates the River Rock Casino near Geyserville. Shortly after buying the Petaluma property in 2005, the tribe submitted an application to develop “a class III gaming facility” on the site. Their intent: leapfrog ahead of the future Graton Rancheria casino in Rohnert Park to be closer to the large Bay Area urban population. When the Graton Rancheria casino opens later this year, the number of visitors to the River Rock casino will dwindle, and profits will plunge. Given that the casino located closest to the Bay Area population is likely to earn the biggest revenues and profits, it’s logical for the Dry Creek Band to want to pursue its original plan to build a second casino in Petaluma.