Anti-Casino
Group Won't Disclose Backers
As reported by the Pueblo
Chieftain: "Leaders of the group fighting
a proposed Indian casino say they are not the
tools of existing casinos, but rather concerned
Puebloans who want to protect their city.
"However, officials for Citizen
Action for a Prosperous Pueblo won't say who
has contributed money to the group.
"That makes it difficult to determine
if any of the group's money has come from the
existing casinos in the gaming towns of Black
Hawk, Cripple Creek and Central City.
"A developer, Council Tree Communications,
and the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes of Oklahoma
want to build a casino on a 5-acre site along
the Historic Arkansas Riverwalk of Pueblo.
"City Council voted Monday to approve
a nonbinding statement of support for the project.
The developer will take that to Congress to
try to win reservation status for the land.
The tribes and city and county must still work
out an agreement on the project.
"City Councilman Mike Occhiato said Tuesday
he'd been told that the existing casinos will
fight the proposal, partly by channeling money
and help to opponents in Pueblo.
"…Members of Citizen Action turned
out in force at Monday's City Council meeting,
filling the meeting room beyond capacity and
wearing matching T-shirts and sticker buttons.
"The group has been busy in the few weeks
it has existed, deluging council members with
phone calls and e-mails, circulating petitions
and making plans to lobby Congress against the
casino.
"…The group doesn't have to say
who gave the money because the gambling issue
is not a city or state ballot issue…"
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