City Government

City Considers Off-Reservation Casino to be Built on Mare Island

Published

11 years ago

November 23, 2014

California voters rejected an off-reservation tribal casino plan in the Central Valley, but now two Indian bands are proposing proposals have now surfaced to build a casino on Mare Island.

If approved, the casinos are expected to create thousands of jobs and contribute $10 million to $20 million to the city’s economy.

< p>Proposals suggest that the casinos would be built on the Northeastern side of the Mare Island, turning 157-aces of weeds and asphalt into a playground consisting of 3,000 slot machines, hotel rooms, shops, concert venues, and high-end restaurants. If approved, the casino complex would be the biggest in Northern California.

Last week, the 130-member Elem Indian Colony and the 50-member Koi Nation rolled out their plans at the city council meeting. More than 200 people gathered in support and opposition of the plan. While some residents called the plan exciting, others believed that the casino was too big for the city.

Mayor Osby Davis said he was excited because these proposals show the economical hump the city has been able to overcome since claiming bankruptcy in 2011. However, he did note that it is still too early in the process for a decision to be made.

However, many were concerned about the federal hurdles that could arise since both tribes would have to have that area of Mare Island federally designated as its land. Such a decision would mean a tiny Indian nation would be on the waterfront of Vallejo, and that idea, both physically and politically, seems to be a stretch.

Both tribes say they want to be in Vallejo and as long as federal officials to designate the land as tribal territory, many of the questions will subside. The Elem have not solidified a developer yet but The Koi have retained Cordish Co. of Maryland, a company known for building casinos around the nation.

The City Council also heard of xix other development proposals for Mare Island at last week’s city council meeting. The council will hear more details about all eight projects in December and is looking to begin serious negotiations on one project by early 2015.

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Related Topics:City of Vallejo indian casinos Mare Island Off-reservation casino Osby Davis

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Oakland Post: Week of June 4 – 10, 2025

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of June 4-10, 2025

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5 days ago

June 7, 2025

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Remembering George Floyd

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Minnesota State Attorney General Keith Ellison acknowledges that the Floyd case five years ago involved a situation in which due process was denied, and five years later, the president is currently dismissing “due process. “The Minnesota Atty General also says, “Trump is trying to attack constitutional rule, attacking congressional authority and judicial decision-making.” George Floyd was an African American man killed by police who knocked on his neck and on his back, preventing him from breathing.

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2 weeks ago

June 2, 2025

Oakland Post

Mural showing the portrait of George Floyd in Mauerpark in Berlin. To the left of the portrait the lettering "I can't Breathe" was added, on the right side the three hashtags #GeorgeFloyd, #Icantbreathe and #Sayhisname. The mural was completed by Eme Street Art (facebook name) / Eme Free Thinker (signature) on 29 May 2020. (Wikimedia Commons)

By April Ryan
BlackPressUSA Newswire

“The president’s been very clear he has no intentions of pardoning Derek Chauvin, and it’s not a request that we’re looking at,” confirms a senior staffer at the Trump White House. That White House response results from public hope, including from a close Trump ally, Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene. The timing of Greene’s hopes coincides with the Justice Department’s recent decision to end oversight of local police accused of abuse. It also falls on the fifth anniversary of the police-involved death of George Floyd on May 25th. The death sparked national and worldwide outrage and became a transitional moment politically and culturally, although the outcry for laws on police accountability failed.

The death forced then-Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden to focus on deadly police force and accountability. His efforts while president to pass the George Floyd Justice in policing act failed. The death of George Floyd also put a spotlight on the Black community, forcing then-candidate Biden to choose a Black woman running mate. Kamala Harris ultimately became vice president of the United States alongside Joe Biden. Minnesota State Attorney General Keith Ellison prosecuted the cases against the officers involved in the death of Floyd. He remembers,” Trump was in office when George Floyd was killed, and I would blame Trump for creating a negative environment for police-community relations. Remember, it was him who said when the looting starts, the shooting starts, it was him who got rid of all the consent decrees that were in place by the Obama administration.”

In 2025, Police-involved civilian deaths are up by “about 100 to about 11 hundred,” according to Ellison. Ellison acknowledges that the Floyd case five years ago involved a situation in which due process was denied, and five years later, the president is currently dismissing “due process. “The Minnesota Atty General also says, “Trump is trying to attack constitutional rule, attacking congressional authority and judicial decision-making.” George Floyd was an African-American man killed by police who knocked on his neck and on his back, preventing him from breathing. During those minutes on the ground, Floyd cried out for his late mother several times. Police subdued Floyd for an alleged counterfeit $20 bill.