Signature-gathering OK'd for gaming initiative

Mercury News ^ | Jan. 28, 2004 | Kate Folmar

[calcowgirl]

SACRAMENTO - A group proposing a statewide initiative to require Indian gaming tribes to contribute more to the state or else give up their monopoly on slots and other gaming devices has been cleared to collect signatures.

The proposed gaming initiative -- one of several gambling measures voters may face in November -- would allow 16 existing card clubs and race tracks to operate up to 30,000 lucrative slot machines if all casino-owning tribes do not renegotiate their compacts with the state and agree to contribute a quarter of their slot revenues to the state. For the measure to appear on the fall ballot, the group must collect 598,105 valid signatures by June 24.

[Roscoe]

would allow 16 existing card clubs

Which ones and how will they be chosen? There are about 200 card clubs in California.

[calcowgirl]

I'm not sure which exact clubs. The initiative being circulated says 5 existing horseracing tracks (in Alameda, Los Angeles, Orange, and San Mateo counties) and 11 gambling establishments (in Los Angeles, San Diego, San Mateo, and Contra Costa counties) where forms of legal gambling and wagering already occur.
Text available at ca.gov PDF File

One article had the following info (only those clubs in San Mateo identified)

Racetracks that would be affected by the Gaming Revenue Act of 2004:

Bay Meadows Racetrack, San Mateo, San Mateo County
Golden Gate Fields, Albany, Alameda County
Alameda County Fair, Pleasanton, Alameda County
Los Alamitos Racetrack, Los Alamitos, Orange County
Santa Anita Racetrack, Arcadia, Los Angeles County

Counties where gaming devices at established gambling establishments would be authorized:

Los Angeles
San Diego
Contra Costa
San Mateo

Card rooms in San Mateo County

Artichoke Joe’s, San Bruno
Lucky Chances, Colma