Speak Your Piece: Don't let the Redding Rancheria develop a casino at Strawberry Fields

I am deeply disappointed by the U.S. Department of the Interior’s decision permitting the federal government to place the Redding Rancheria-owned Strawberry Fields into trust “to be used for gaming and other purposes.”

The Redding Rancheria already has a highly successful casino, Win-River Resort & Casino in Redding, the profits from which have enabled them to purchase many properties in Shasta County, including the Strawberry Fields.

I would be supportive of the Redding Rancheria developing this property in uses consistent with its agricultural zoning, as all other land owners in the area must do. However I vehemently object to designating it be used for gaming, an activity which has negative consequences for a community and does not pay taxes that support the local schools and essential support services.

MORE: Redding Rancheria gets federal approval to relocate casino

I applaud the restoration of lands to native tribes for the preservation of the land and its use for tribal traditions. Several areas have recently been put in trust for local tribes use under land trusts, with protections against future development.

In contrast with those trusts, the trust applied to the Redding Rancheria specifies gaming and other purposes, in this case a huge complex of casino, 7-story hotel, restaurants, retail shops, entertainment venues and huge parking lots. What has long been zoned and used as agricultural land would be paved over and permanently decimated from its intended purposes of livestock and food production.

The 250-room hotel, restaurants, retail shops and entertainment venues would inevitably take proceeds from existing businesses, at a time when Redding is in the process of renewing our downtown core and developing a riverfront plan to ensure the future success of the Civic Auditorium.

Shasta County has recently been designated a rural county, switching from our former designation as a suburban county. We are an outdoor recreational area, with rivers, lakes and mountains. Redding is becoming a bicycling town, with a bike depot, bike lanes on major roads, an extensive network of biking/hiking trails, and rental bikes available at various locations around town. We are a wholesome, family-friendly community.

A huge casino complex with a seven-story hotel, taller than any other structure in the county — taller than our recently completed county courthouse in Redding — is inconsistent with all the recent county and city developments. It would create an entirely different image than we have been cultivating and would be the first impression at the very entrance to the city of Redding.

This project is a detriment to existing city and county businesses, our residents and the quality of life in our community. It should not be allowed to move forward.

— Pamela Hughes lives in Redding

This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: Speak Your Piece: Don't let the Redding Rancheria develop a casino at Strawberry Fields