Bid to start casino at Point Molate fails

A judicial ruling has ended the proposal to build a gambling casino at Point Molate, in the city of Richmond. The ruling came after a settlement was reached between both the parties: the city government and the Native American tribe.  According to the agreement, the casino will not be opened and the city does not have to pay any damages to the Native American tribe.

In Oakland’s federal court, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez-Rogers approved the settlement. It marked the end of a 22-year-old dispute between the city and the Guidiville Rancheria tribe over the 270-acre former Navy depot at Point Molate near the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge.

The settlement provides that when the land is sold at Point Molate, the proceeds will be shared equally between the city of Richmond and the plaintiffs in the case, who include the tribe and Upstream Development.

Tom Butt, the Mayor of Richmond, wrote in his popular email newsletter: “This is not the end, but hopefully it is the beginning of the end, of a process that began 22 years ago.

“What we have is a road map to the eventual development of Point Molate as a vibrant recreational asset to Richmond and a successful new neighborhood that will provide homes, create jobs and provide much-needed revenue for the city,” Butt said.

The original Navy facility shut down in 1995 and was sold to the city for $1. In 2004, the Ukiah-based Native American tribe proposed a $1.2-billion hotel and casino on the site, with a three-acre gambling hall.

The city can now consider alternative plans for the area, including building residential units at the site and preserving open space in the area, which is located close to the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge at the Point Molate exit and includes the ruins of old winery buildings.

Source: ktvu.com