Maybe Broome, Doan Can Magically Convert Abandoned Elk Grove Mall to an Indian Casino




January 28, 2016 

 | Now is the time for all good economic
development directors to come to the aid of their city! |

With this rallying call, we are urging Elk Grove Economic Development Director Darrel Doan and Sacramento business whiz and guru Barry Broome to put their heads together and work their magic. In this case, the magic act they should consider performing is to button up their sleeve's and pull a rabbit out of the hat in the form of an Indian Casino.

The Indian Casino we are of course referring to is the proposed Wilton Rancheria currently being considered in the Galt vicinity. Wilton Rancheria officials seek to build a casino complex that includes 110,260 square feet of gaming floor area, a 12-story hotel with 302 guest rooms, a 360-seat buffet, a 60-seat pool grill, other food and beverage providers, a 2,600-square-foot retail area, a fitness center, spa, and a 48,000-square-foot convention center. The environmental impact statement (EIS) is in draft form and the public comment period begins on January 29th. 

This draft EIS mentions three sites as possible locations for the casino. Tribe officials and the document indicate the preferred site is 282-acres bound by Twin Cities Road to the south, Highway 99 to the east, and the railroad tracks to the west. Another site is the Historic Wilton Rancheria site on approximately 75-acres between Dillard Road and the Cosumnes River in Wilton. The third site is just north of the proposed outlet mall in the southern portion of the city of Elk Grove.

This is where Doan and Broome can team up and do the voodoo they do so well and bring the casino with all their jobs and economic activity to Elk Grove. Aside from being closer to Sacramento population centers, there are two indisputable features Elk Grove can offer the Rancheria.

The first is the actual site of the Outlet Collection. Languishing for eight years now and with no opening date in the foreseeable future, the site can easily accommodate the hotel, casino, and convention center included in the plans. Unlike the Galt location, the mall site already has an interchange constructed which could shave at least 5 years off the construction timeline and avoid the Caltrans bureaucracy of having to have a new interchange approved and funded.

With utilities already in place, they would only need to demolish the skeleton of a mall out there, and start their project post haste. Of course, Broome and Doan will need to be tough negotiators with the shopping center current owners, the Howard Hughes Company, but hey, that is why they are both making the big bucks.

Between the Outlet Collection site's existing infrastructure and utilities, and the Grant Line interchange, this is about as turnkey, shovel ready project you will ever find. Besides, I'm sure the city could sharpen a few pencils and come up with some incentive money for Howard Hughes to sell their property at an irresistible price and still make a profit (remember the acquisition was through a bankruptcy liquidation sale).

So Doan, Broome, and, of course, the five Elk Grove City Councilmen, are you tough enough to get the job done? Imagine being able to announce this score before the November elections!






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6 comments

Anonymous said...

Galt needs to pay attention here. If Galt blinks, the EG City Council will be happy to prostrate themselves before the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Wilton Rancheria. (Don't think they haven't already.) You better grab it if you want it, Galt!

Anonymous said...

Where did our new Assistant City Manager come from?

SteveB6509 said...

The mall (if and when it is ever built) will generate substantial tax revenue for the City of Elk Grove. Are you suggesting that we give up that tax revenue?

Anonymous said...

When you've looked at that heap of steel for 7-8 years you finally reach a point of not caring what goes in there...just something. As for the tax revenue we would give up....what has our tax dollars done for our city so far and they are hugh. Nothing....thrown away on our councils pipe dreams. The people in large part have lost trust in our city and the other part don't give a darn. Seems we're in a no-win position at this time.

Anonymous said...

I'm surprised that they don't put another low income housing project in there.

One Arm Bandit said...

Gary Davis would never go for a casino. But if the contributions are large enough, with or without strong arming, there is at least one on the council that is ripe for the picking!

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