Public getting more time to comment on Richmond casino-hotel plan
By Katherine Tam
With neighboring Albany and San Pablo raising concerns that they did not have enough time to comment on the draft environmental report for the proposed Point Molate hotel-casino resort, Richmond is extending the public comment period by a month.
Richmond officials agreed Tuesday to extend the comment period to Oct. 23 after the two cities and locals complained that the original deadline — Wednesday — did not allow enough time for digesting the four-volume report and making comments. The new extension supersedes a previous extension, which had set Sept. 30 as the new deadline.
The Guidiville Band of Pomo Indians and developer Upstream want to build a resort at the old Point Molate Naval Fuel Depot north of the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge.
Plans call for a 240,000-square-foot casino with 124,000 square feet of gaming; a 122,000-square-foot conference center; a 48,000-square-foot entertainment center; 300,000 square feet of restaurants and shops; two hotels totaling about 1,100 rooms; 145 acres of hillside open space; a 35-acre park; and a 1.5-mile segment of the San Francisco Bay Trail.
Supporters say the project would bring much-needed jobs and revenue.
Opponents fear it would bring social ills and say the draft environmental impact report is deficient in analyzing traffic impacts, the project's potential effect on historic resources, job projections and other issues.
Contra Costa Times- Sept.23,2009
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