Casino plan gets attention in race for Migden seat

Susan Adams, the Chairwoman of the Rohnert Park Planning Commission, endorsed former Assemblyman Joe Nation today in the race for the Third District State Senate seat.

Adams, who is battling efforts to construct a Casino in Rohnert Park, cited Nation’s opposition to the plan.

“Joe is 100% against the casino planned for Rohnert Park. He’s the only candidate in this race who will fight for us,” said Adams.

Adams’ endorsement comes on the heels of an April 17 debate in which Assemblyman Mark Leno, one of Nation’s primary opponents, said the plan, which has been proposed by the Federated Indians of the Graton Rancheria, had already been approved and that the state legislature could not stop the construction of the casino.

"One can yell and scream and beat one's chest," Leno said at the debate, according to the Santa Rosa Press Democrat. "But the fact is, it's not in our hands."

The announcement of the Adams endorsement points to a Feb. 2 article in the Press Democrat saying that Leno raised $10,000 at a late March fundraiser that was held by Susan Moore, the president of the group supporting the casino effort.

The Leno campaign declined to comment on the Adams endorsement.

Today, Nation, a Stanford professor who works for an environmental consulting firm, reinforced his opposition to the casino.

“The last thing we want in Sonoma County is a 790,000 square foot casino that will harm our quality of life, create more traffic congestion, hurt the environment and bring a host of other problems that we do not want,” he said.

Democratic incumbent Carole Migden has also come out strongly against the plan.

Nation and Leno are challenging Migden, a veteran state legislator, in a district that spans San Francisco and the North Bay. Voters head to the polls on June 3.