Recently, the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians, localdeveloper John Troughton and Las Vegas-based investment group KlineCos. pitched ideas for a hotel-casino at city port Terminal 3,which is currently an active port. The tribe has offered $10million for the land, as well as impact fees of $3 million to $5million a year for the first 16 years.

While the details of the project have not yet been worked out,the city is considering the pitch for shipping port Terminal 3. Theproposal has not been placed on a city council agenda for formalreview yet, but Richmond Mayor Irma Anderson has appointed asubcommittee to study the proposal.

At last week's City Council meeting, Citizens Against CasinoExpansion led a group of residents in a plea to the city to rejectthe bid for an urban casino, citing that the bid violates theintent of 2000 law that gave Indian tribes the right to launchgaming enterprises on reservations. This law gave tribes withoutland the right to acquire urban lands under certain conditions todevelop casinos. However, opponents say that Indian casinos do notbenefit Indians—only investors. Therefore, it would be a violation,they say. The developers say they have presented a completely legalpitch for the project.