As reported by: San Bernardino County Sun
The Chemehuevi Indian Tribe near Lake Havasu announced Monday that it will move forward with its plan to build a casino in Barstow even though a San Diego County tribe is planning the same thing.

"We feel if the governor is going to give his concurrence to allow a tribe to do a gaming complex in Barstow, we meet the criteria that the governor is looking for,' said Lester Marston, lawyer for the Chemehuevi and husband of a member of the tribe.

"We are not trying to acquire land in another county or outside our aboriginal territory,' Marston said, referring to the Los Coyotes tribe of San Diego County. The Los Coyotes Band of Cahuilla and Cupeno Indians submitted their proposal for a casino two weeks ago.

"We are not trying to leapfrog over other tribes,' Marston said.

He said the tribe will submit its plans to the Barstow City Council at the council's first July meeting.

Marston said he and Chemehuevi chairman Edward D. "Tito' Smith met with city officials Monday to discuss the tribe's plans, which have been in the works for eight years. The proposal includes a hotel, retail shops, RV park, water park, condominiums, golf courses, spa, outdoor amphitheater and possibly a rodeo arena. The project would be located near the Factory Merchants Outlet Mall.

The project would have moved along much more quickly, Marston said, but Gov. Gray Davis has shown an aversion to off-reservation gaming. He said Davis has shown himself to be more open now.

John Rader, spokesman for the city, said the proposal is very similar to the one presented two weeks ago by the Los Coyotes Band of Cahuilla and Cupeno Indians in San Diego County.

However, he said, the city has an exclusive negotiating agreement with Los Coyotes that could last nine months. After that period, the city could take action with the Chemehuevi.

Tribe officials and project representatives from the Los Coyotes tribe could not be reached for comment.

Los Coyotes announced plans June 2 to build a 180-room hotel casino with a theme park near the Factory Merchant Outlet Mall. They partnered with Detroit-based BarWest.

The Los Coyotes still need the governor and the federal government to approve putting the site into a federal trust.

Many gaming insiders feel that because the Los Coyotes don't have aboriginal ties to Barstow, it will be very difficult for them to get Davis' nod.

"You can't just pick a property because it is a lucrative location,' said Richard Milanovich, chairman of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians. "If it goes through, I will be very surprised.'

The announcement two weeks ago caused a stir among the Chemehuevi, who felt they were cheated by the city. But it also upset a Beverly Hills-based public relations firm that said it had been working with Los Coyotes and was squeezed out at the last minute.

Dean Delorean of Harris Delorean Public Relations went to the City Council meeting Monday night to complain about the situation.

Delorean said he and his firm have been planning since 2001 to link a tribe that is not federally recognized the Costanoan Rumsen Carmel Tribe of Chino with the Los Coyotes, who are federally recognized.

Delorean's group wanted to build the Desert Oasis Hotel and Resort with five restaurants and a theme park. There were also plans to build a diabetes center.

Rader said before the meeting that Harris Delorean was one of many groups with casino proposals.

"It is sour grapes,' he said. "They came late to the table, and the city never promised them anything.'

Tom Shields, the Los Coyotes project spokesman, said he never heard of Harris Delorean or their involvement. He said his interaction has mostly been between the BarWest investors and the city before he met Los Coyotes.

"When you first announce these things you have people coming out of the woodwork who say they also wanted to do these things,' Shields said. "But no one ever did it.'

But in November, Kevin Siva of the Los Coyotes met Gretchen Belli, a friend of Harris and Delorean, they said. Belli is the former daughter-in-law of the late lawyer Melvin Belli and was recently indicted on suspicion of stealing and defrauding the city of Taft.

Delorean said shortly after Siva and Belli met, Harris Delorean and the Costanoan were squeezed out.

Belli and Siva could not be reached for comment.

DeLorean said the firm was talking to other tribes over the past six months. But two weeks ago, Siva and BarWest came forward with their proposal.

"It is a bad feeling, but I am used to it,' said Costanoan chairman Tony Cerda, 66, a retired foreman who has also worked with boxers. "I've seen a lot of things look like they are good and turn out bad.'