From Mayor Gayle McLaughlin

 Important Votes at City Council  Tuesday 5/18  6:30 pm

A Better Project at Point Molate is Possible! 

Many of you have come to the conclusion, as have I, that a casino at Pt. Molate is not in the interests of the community in Richmond.  However, it is time we shift our efforts to identify what COULD EXIST instead of a casino at Pt. Molate.   There are two important items on the May 18 City Council agenda that I encourage you to come and speak on.

1.  Let the LDA Expire.

The Land Disposition Agreement (LDA) for Upstream's casino project is set to expire on May 20, and Councilmember Bates has put an item on the agenda (K-1) to extend it for two months until July 20.  I am opposed to this.  The LDA has already been extended for four months beyond its original ending date in January, and it's time to let the LDA terminate and stop negotiating exclusively with Upstream.

2.  Consider Alternative Plans.

We immediately should look at some other development alternatives to determine what offers the greatest benefit for the City and the community, especially in light of these challenging economic times.  Toward that end, I have placed on the 5/18 agenda an item (K-2) to discuss the rights of the City to explore various development alternatives for the Pt. Molate site.
 
Councilmember Butt and I have had communications with the California Attorney General's Office regarding the City's rights to explore other projects.  The Attorney General's Office clearly affirms the City's right to consider alternative uses including uses that don't involve lease or transfer to the current proposed developer (Upstream). 

It just so happens that there is a really attractive alternative out there -- an alternative plan that will bring in jobs, revenue and healthy activities for our residents.   We need a plan that can begin to bring jobs for our residents (construction jobs and jobs for our unemployed youth) as soon as possible. 

Some have bought into the idea that a casino is a done-deal for Pt. Molate.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  In fact, a casino at Pt. Molate has everything stacked against it.  It is a pipedream that will never materialize.  There are state and federal approvals that have left this project totally in limbo.  The polls and calls coming into the City from the community show a deep opposition to a casino at Pt. Molate.  Nearby cities have registered their strong opposition.  The lawsuits that will come forward should this casino project be approved would mean hard-earned citizen tax dollars tied up in legal challenges for countless years to come.
 
An alternative project could offer jobs in a timely fashion.  We could get construction underway a lot sooner; we could see development take shape a lot earlier; and that development could give rise to a healthy project allowing our residents and visitors to experience our beautiful Pt. Molate as the place of wonder that it truly is. 

Check out this link for an article about how an alternative project has captured the attention of architects and planners.

A project that has educational, cultural, recreational, retail, environmental, and public health benefits is a project worth looking at.  The City and the community deserve an opportunity to explore an attractive alternative with all these possibilities. 

As mayor, I will continue to support the public's right to know what alternatives are out there. 

The casino proposal has held the City back long enough. 

If you agree that the City should review all proposals available, please come to the Richmond City Council Chambers (440 Civic Center Plaza) on May 18th at 6:30 pm and tell the City Council that it is not in the public's interest to restrict consideration of alternatives for Pt. Molate.  It is time for the City to explore and hear presentations that can bring about good jobs and benefit in the short and long term, and that can uplift us all as we continue to build a better Richmond together!       
Gayle McLaughlin