February 9, 2005 - Top Stories
By DAVID ROSS
Last week the Pauma Band of Mission Indians voted to hire Hard Rock Hotel & Casino to build and run a $300 million casino that will include a hotel and will have no legal limit on how many slot machines it operates.
The new rock and roll themed gaming palace could open by the summer of 2006. Although details were not revealed by the tribe, it is expected to include a 300-room hotel and several eateries, 2,000 slot machines or more and 100 table games.
Casino Pauma, which operates just off Hwy 76, has always been the poor stepchild to the other area casinos that opened shortly after the voters of California voted to approve Las Vegas style gaming for Indian casinos in 2000.
That’s very likely to change.
Although a popular favorite with many local residents, Casino Pauma is considerably smaller than its neighbors. Especially Harrah’s Rincon Casino & Resort, just four miles away, and Pala Casino and Resort and Spa, a dozen miles away with a 500-room hotel.
However, last summer the tribe was one of five that renegotiated its charter with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. That new charter gave the tribe the ability operate without a limit on its number of slot machines. Contrast this to most local casinos, who are limited to 2,000 slots by the original compacts.
Pauma currently operates about 800 slot machines, compared to 1,600 slots for Harrah’s and 1,200 for Valley View.
In return for this concession, the tribe agreed to provide more oversight to the state and county on matters of traffic.
Pauma helped finance a $1 billion state transportation bond, to pay a higher percentage of profits and to adopt state environmental laws.
It also agreed to reach a binding agreement with the County on mitigation of impacts off the reservation. That agreement must be reached before work can begin on the facility.
A year previously the Pauma tribe announced that it was partnering with Caesar’s Palace’s parent company Park Place Entertainment. The stage was set for a battle of the casino titans.
Then Harrah’s Entertainment, which runs the Rincon casino, purchased Park Place. It became the largest gaming company in the world. That killed “Caesar’s Pauma” because Harrah’s contract with Rincon prohibits it from operating a rival casino in the same region.
The tribe began entertaining offers from other casino giants, including Foxwoods Development Co., which operates the largest casino in the world in Connecticut. Hard Rock won out.
If the contract is approved by the National Indian Gaming Commission, the property will be developed by Peter Morton, who co-founded and then later sold the Hard Rock Cafe chain.
Morton retained the right to develop future Hard Rock casino-hotels and kept ownership of the Las Vegas hotel and casino property.
This would be Morton’s first venture of this type outside of Nevada.
A press release by Morton Feb. 3 states: “We are excited about working with the Pauma Band to produce one of the great resorts in California,” said Peter Morton, chairman and founder of Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. Tribal Chairman Chris Devers said, “the tribe voted overwhelmingly for the Hard Rock and is ecstatic with its new relationship.”
The first Hard Rock Cafe opened in 1971 in London, founded by American entrepreneurs Peter Morton and Isaac Tigrett.
The cafe was extremely popular and in 1982 the company went global, with restaurants in various American cities, Berlin, Paris and Canada. Eventually there were 180 Hard Rock Cafes, which were characterized by collections of rock and roll memorabilia.
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Another casino is also in the works along Hwy 76.
Nevada Gold & Casinos, Inc. a Houston firm, through its subsidiary Gold River, LLC, recently signed a development agreement for a gaming resort with the La Jolla Band of Luiseño Indians. A management agreement is pending.
Snappy’s, Valley Center’s first “fast food” restaurant, served its last burgers last week.
The restaurant, housed in a building that was once a savings and loan office and then a pawn shop, shut down the grill and locked the door on Thursday.
Connie Critelli’s lease had expired and she decided to move on.
The restaurant was in operation for about five years.
Snappy’s was the brain child of the late Joe Critelli and his wife, Connie, who also founded Pepperoni’s, VC’s popular pizza place.
For several years they jumped through Dept. of Environmental Health hoops to even open the restaurant.
Originally, the Critellis were told they could use no more water than the old bank had used.
Then they were told they had to use less than what the pawn shop had used
Eventually the drive-through eatery was allowed to open.
The restaurant, which was characterized by the paintings of a cartoon “snapping” turtle, was a popular breakfast and lunch spot, and was always busy during weekends, turning out burgers, Mexican specialties and favorites such as pork loin sandwiches and chicken sandwiches.
The drive-through sponsored several youth sports teams in town and weekly honored top Jaguar players.
Jay Enns, who was associated with Bell Gardens from its inception until it was forced to close, was an amiable presence and a goodwill ambassador from the non-profit farm to the community.
He helped develop Bell Gardens in association with owner Glen Bell, and managed the property.
P. Jay Enns was born May 21, 1945. He died Feb. 1, 2005.
He was a beloved husband, father and grandpa, brother, son, friend and neighbor.
He was a member of Community Lutheran Church in Escondido. He also belonged to the San Diego County Farm Bureau and VC Chamber of Commerce.
Mr. Enns was an avid collector of Zippo lighters.
Before coming to California he had worked at Gray & Osborne in Seattle. He was a builder, contractor, building homes in San Diego and Julian.
He was a partner in Sven’s, a hamburger restaurant in Encinitas, for two years.
He and his wife, Elaine Enns, were married in June of 1979. Other survivors include his son, Derek, and his wife, Jodie and sons Derek and Logan, of Fresno; daughter, Desra Enns, of Boulder, Colorado; parents, Paul and Wanda Enns, of La Junta, Colo.; brother, Vern (and wife, Claire Enns, of Seattle and sister, Rita Fitch & John Wingo, of Newton, Kansas.
Donations may be made to San Diego Hospice, 4311 Third Ave., San Diego, CA 92103-1407.
For the first time since he has been delivering his annual State of North County speech, Supervisor Bill Horn will give the speech in his home town, at the VC library.
The speech will be given March 3, 10:30-11:30 a.m. in the library near the fireplace.
The library is located at 29200 Cole Grade Road.
Among items to be covered in the supervisor’s address are traffic, gang suppression, stronger voter identification and the San Luis Rey River park project.
Horn has been a strong advocate of requiring more identification when a voter shows up at the polls, and he will take this up during his remarks, according to his media relations director, John Culea.
“When people register to vote-requiring proof of citizenship and then photo ID when they go to the polls. You have to show a driver's license to rent a movie, why not photo id at the polls?” he said.
As is our custom with newly elected planning group chairmen, The Roadrunner this week interviewed Andy Washburn, who was elected to the leadership position at the January meeting of the VC planning group. He had previously been the group’s vice chairman.
The newspaper sees the planning chairman as the closest thing the Valley has to a mayor, i.e. an official who speaks for the interests of all Valleyites (yes, we know we have an Honorary Mayor, so don’t send us gripes about this!).
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Q: What do you see the planning group doing in the next two years?
A: “Number one will be to finish the work on GP2020 (General Plan 2020). I think we are past halfway in the development process for Valley Center. While we are on the downhill side there’s still many important tasks to be done.”
Q: Such as?
A: “Two that come to mind are the text of the community plan for Valley Center. Second, the zoning ordinance, the specific parcel by parcel zoning of the community.
“Second is the issue of our traffic problems in Valley Center. I’m encouraged that there are a number of opportunities that will become available to us over the next few years to get traffic and road infrastructure investment. Getting money spent on roads in valley center.”
Q: Aren’t we already getting a lot spent on the road widening. How do we get more?
A: “There’s continuing efforts on the part of several people in Valley Center to get a larger portion of the tribal money, the funds that the tribes gave the County. To get an increased percentage of that spent locally in Valley Center. Valley Center is the most impacted community in the county as far as casinos and San Diego County has more gaming tribes than any other county in the state.
“The logical conclusion is that we should receive more of the investment in traffic improvements projects.
“The second possible source of funding is SANDAG money. On this front the planning group is pleased that both Larry Glavinic and Sanday Smith, past chairs of the group, have been selected to serve on the citizens advisory committee on the spending of Transnet monies.
“We’re all hopeful that they will be able to cause funds to come our way, and to improve Valley Center.
“Supervisor Horn has been a tremendous supporter of Valley Center. With his help, after 20 years, we got the road widening project for Valley Center Road. Some other contributions include the joint use facility (high school theater) and smaller projects that are often just as important to our community.
“We look forward to working with Supervisor Horn and his staff to find funding for traffic improvement projects in Valley Center.”
Q: What would you like to accomplish during your tenure as chairman?
A: “Two things, I’d like to increase the level of involvement of the typical Valley Center resident in the work that we do. To anyone that will listen, I’d ask them to join one of our subcommittees and get involved in the community. We can make a difference and this is one of the mechanism by which we can be effective. If i didn’t believe hat I wouldn’t be serving.
“Second, to increase the level of engagement between the planning group and the outside forces which are affecting our community. Forces like the County’s Dept. of Planning & land use, the Dept. of Public Works, Supervisor Horn’s office and SANDAG (San Diego Assn. of Governments).”
Q: Given that most of the things that GP2020 is doing are not things that the average resident wants, why should people think they can make a difference?
A: “I take exception to the assumption. If people are fully informed on what the planning group has done re GP202 I think they would come to appreciate how much we have been able to move the County towards the kind of Valley Center that we would all support.
“But I understand your point and in that regard the planning group unanimously adopted three resolutions re GP2020 that I will use in my testimony at the county planning commission meeting on March 4. And as well before the Board of Supervisors in April.”
Q: What are they?
“We are asking that the Board of Supervisors approve the following: that they permanently constrain the Valley Center village within the boundary lines of the current map and that they limit the density to no more than 10.9 dwelling units (DU) per ace, except where we accept Valley Center’s fair share of affordable housing, not to exceed 15 du/ac.
“Resolution No. 2, we’re asking the Board of Supervisors to act expeditiously to provide an adequate transportation infrastructure and emergency services to match the growth indicated on the GP2020 map.
“Third: we’re asking the Board of Supervisors to adopt a fair equitable and practical equity mechanism to provide fairness for all the property owners in Valley Center impacted by GP2020.”
Q: Are other planning groups doing the same to your knowledge?
A: “Several of the planning groups have gone on the record rejecting many of the recommendations made by DPLU and I know at least one has demanded an equity mechanism.”
Q: In November you ran under the slogan: “It’s time to stop fighting in Valley Center and start fighting for Valley Center.” As chairman how’s that goal going for you?
A: “I’m tying my best. I’m trying to reach out to neighboring planning groups. To open dialogues with members of the county government and trying to work through intermediaries to multiply the planning group’s efforts.
“I’m very proud of the planning group we have now. The newly elected members have all jumped right in, shown great enthusiasm and a willingness to take on projects and work hard. I look forward to a very positive relationship among the members and getting a lot of work done on Valley Center.”
Q: What do you like best about Valley Center?
A: “Seeing old friends at Western Days events. Seeing people give rides to Eddie. Watching Jags football on a warm fall evening. Seeing fellow residents pull over to help people with a flat tire. A crackling fire at the library on a cold December afternoon. Very local memorial day services at the cemetery. The outpouring of help after the Paradise fires and families gathered around baseball and softball diamonds. When I come back from somewhere else I always open the windows to smell the citrus blossoms or the dairy, whichever comes first.”
The Valley Roadrunner
P.O.B. 1529, Valley Center, CA 92082
Tel. 760.749.1112 Fax 760.749.1688
Website: www.valleycenter.com
Email: editor@valleycenter.com
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