Casino news source: AZ Central - http://www.azcentral.com
Chandler neighbors await final casino location decision
Edythe Jensen
The Arizona Republic
Aug. 9, 2007 09:42 AM
Chandler Mayor Boyd Dunn and Councilman Matt Orlando say the city and neighbors need more details from the Gila River Indian community about a planned casino move as a new group of residents mounts opposition.
Last month, to the delight of some southeast Chandler residents, the Gila River Indian Community Council voted to relocate the Lone Butte casino within the same business park near Kyrene Road south of the Santan Freeway instead of moving it to a more remote spot near Gilbert Road south of Hunt Highway. The exact location hasn't been named, but Dale Gutenson, executive director of the Gila River Indian community's casino team, said that could happen at the Gila community's casino expansion team meeting Monday.
Gutenson said the team also is planning an informational mailing to neighbors in Chandler, he said. "One of the attractions that led to relocation of this site is the freeway interchange," he said. "Studies are showing that the preponderance of our traffic will come from the 202."
The freeway separates neighbors from the potential casino site but development on either side of the freeway will likely generate traffic on Kyrene Road, Gutenson said. "If I were a neighbor, I would prefer this (a casino) over industrial development."
The move would triple the casino's size and has gotten positive responses from city officials and neighbors of the scrapped location. Dunn has said the Kyrene site is preferable, citing freeway access and potential to improve an industrial park. However, Dunn recently wrote a letter to Gila Gov. William Rhodes, asking him to consider meeting with Chandler neighbors and keeping them informed.
The latest opposition comes from west Chandler residents who live north of the Kyrene site. More than a dozen have e-mailed their displeasure to elected officials. "Why did this happen without any public discussion?" Adam Dibble wrote to Dunn. Dibble, whose home is near Kyrene and Ray roads, has been voicing opposition to the new site since it was announced and earlier vowed to organize residents against it.
Lone Butte needs a new location because the Gila community is planning to move its larger Wild Horse Pass casino closer to Interstate 10 and state rules require casinos to be at least a mile and a half apart.
Councilman Matt Orlando is sending e-mails with Gutenson's phone number to complaining neighbors. Orlando said he has asked City Manger Mark Pentz to try to set up a meeting with the community's casino consultants, city officials and neighbors before a final decision is made on the location.
"Some residents in the area are frustrated because the traffic has increased so much lately," Orlando said. They fear a casino south of the freeway would add to gridlock on Kyrene Road, he said.
With more information, the city might be able to mitigate traffic issues, Orlando said.
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