Albany’s Waterfront Our Precious Resource Magna Corporation wants a waterfron t Casino/Mall/Racetrack We can do better than that - far better. Track Owner Seeks to Add Casino Albany has never witnessed political spending of Gambling and a Mixed Mall to Albany this magnitude – Magna/Caruso spent millions. Shoreline – Spends Millions. Despite the Magna/developer millions, Toronto-based Magna Entertainment Corporation environmentalists are confident that Albany residents is planning to add casino gambling and a large will still support waterfront open space, especially development to its Golden Gate Fields Racetrack on when they learn the facts. Albany’s waterfront – all this smack in the middle of the Eastshore State Park. This is all part of Magna’s nationwide plan to shore Shoreline Development Plans – Traffic up the dying horsetrack betting industry: add casino Nightmare, Downtown Ghost Town gambling plus mall development (calling them “racinos”) to all its racetracks. (Oakland Tribune) Magna engaged southern California mall builder Magna wants to lure a new generation into gambling. Rick Caruso to build the development. Caruso is a heavy hitter who uses political influence. Known for raising millions for Republican candidates, he wields Just how serious is Magna about racetrack money and influence to push his plans through city casinos/malls (“racinos”)? Magna: halls. (Wall St. Journal; S. F. Chronicle; West • bankrolled the horsetrack gambling initiative County Times) in the 2004 California election (Prop 68); Preliminary designs show a mixed-use mall plus the (campaign reports) racetrack. This mixed mall, with added parking • says they will keep at it until they get casino structures, covers about forty-five acres of gaming at racetracks; (L. A. Business Journal) development with a minimal amount of privatized • backed the 2006 horsetrack slot machine open space. The development plus the racetrack legislation in Sacramento; (S. F. Chronicle) would virtually fill the Albany waterfront. • trademarked the term “Racinos”;(Corp. Report) • is installing a mixed mall/casino addition to Caruso recently announced he is pulling out of its Miami horsetrack; (Miami Herald) Albany. Shortly thereafter Magna told its • entered into casino discussions with Native shareholders: Caruso is doing the development. (El American Tribes; (Berkeley Daily Planet) Cerrito-Albany Journal; West County Times) • threatened to close down the Preakness in Regardless of whether this is a Caruso tactic or Maryland if slot machines not approved; whether Magna uses another developer, Magna states (Baltimore Sun) it is doing the development. (West Co. Times) • pushed through slot machines for its track in The casino/mall proposal brings a host of problems. Pennsylvania; (Baltimore Sun; Pittsburgh Post Gazette) • A mall on the water’s edge would sap the • is currently trying to push through slot economic vitality of Albany’s central business machines for its Ohio track; (PR Newswire) district. Solano Avenue and San Pablo Avenue • spent approximately $4 million dollars business losses will likely offset much of the (Magna with its mall developer) pushing its promised income from a Magna development. development plans in Albany and in southern • Regionally, it will damage neighboring business California at Santa Anita Racetrack; districts, taking from them to survive. • in Albany (with its developer) hired team of: • Traffic nightmare at Gilman Street, at Buchanan political lobbyists, an Albany resident, lawyers, Street and on I-80. consultants, political organizers; made various • Places a “racino” on the shoreline - precluding promises to as many “influential people” shoreline open space; expands casino gambling as they could sway; profiled every voter in to the Bay Area. Albany; deluged voters with phone calls and mailings. Magna’s development ideas represent the worst of urban planning. Racetrack Likely to Close? built on the east side of the lot, nearer the freeway and away from the wetlands. The weight of evidence points to the track closing A Development Agreement could be worked out without the casino/mall complex. benefiting both the owner and Albany. In return for changing the zoning to permit some development to Although Magna has stated it has no plans to close replace the track, a deal could be fashioned that could the track in Albany, that denial is expected from a allow the purchase or gifting of the bulk of the land publicly traded corporation. Drastic future changes for open space uses. are routinely concealed until the last minute. Albany will be the last to know. Most of the land could, for example, be added to the Eastshore State Park. Albany would get a world-class The evidence: Tracks are going out of business. shoreline park and expanded beach without having to • In Southern California, the Hollywood Park pay out of its own coffers. Race Track owner announced it was giving up Any replacement development would benefit greatly after the defeat of Prop 68, stating that unless from having this excellent park at its doorstep and California approves casino gambling, the horse would easily provide greater revenue to Albany than racing industry cannot stay afloat. (L.A. Times; the track currently does. Hollywood Park Racetrack publication; new owner says track will close without slots: S.F. Citizens for East Shore Parks (CESP), the Sierra Chronicle, Sacramento Bee) Club, Citizens for the Albany Shoreline (CAS), • Bay Meadows Racetrack in San Mateo has Golden Gate Audubon and others have proposed such announced it is closing and the land will be a modest development concept - a hotel/conference turned over to developers. (S.F. Chronicle) center (perhaps including a wellness center). • Magna has lost millions steadily over the last four years and is selling 4 of its own 9 A hotel/conference Center would reasonably generate racetracks. It seeks to reduce its continued between $1.5 and $2 million dollars of tax revenue losses. (Toronto Globe & Mail) for Albany. This would bring in more tax revenue to Albany (both City and school district) than the Magna arrived on the scene in the United States in current track operation, including the property tax the late 1990s, buying up nine racetracks and revenues. suggesting it would save the horse betting industry. Equally important, a hotel/conference center would Instead, the industry has continued its steady decline. enhance, not sap, surrounding business centers. Magna itself faced a revolt and a lawsuit from its shareholders over the steady losses from its own tracks and it recently reported it was close to going broke in its quarterly report. (Toronto Globe & Mail) What if the Track Stays? Albany needs to plan for a future that may not The racetrack can choose to stay. include the track. However, it should not be allowed new development alongside the racetrack. Magna bought a racetrack, not the rights to develop a mall on the Albany shore. If the Racetrack Leaves, Albany Would Magna’s plans for a casino/mall complex are not Not Suffer Economically. legal under current zoning. The Park District can offer to buy any unused Albany would not be economically hurt if the track racetrack property, using state and regional park decided to leave. Actually, the track does not produce bonds, for inclusion in the shoreline park, just as was that much revenue for the size of its footprint. successfully done for the ballfields currently being Environmentally sensitive development could be completed at Gilman Street. Artist’s rendering of the CESP/Sierra Club/CAS vision for Albany’s Shoreline Keep Protective Zoning – Start Spectacular Open Spaces – a Community Planning Wonderful Legacy to Leave In no event should Albany unilaterally change its Albany’s charm includes a unique setting of current waterfront zoning of waterfront recreation. unparalleled beauty by San Francisco Bay. As This is what the Magna/Caruso supporters seek. That racetracks in California are closing, Albany has a would only dramatically increase the property value miraculous second chance to rethink its entire for the landowner without getting anything in return. perspective on its shoreline. Let’s not be rushed into destructive development and expanded gambling that Park opponents who support a zoning change would forever preclude recovering our waterfront for know this. Vastly increased property value will the entire community and for generations to come. likely prevent the purchase of this waterfront property for open space uses or inclusion in the shoreline park – forever. Once it is developed we Please help us can’t reclaim it. protect the shoreline. Albany must keep the present zoning until there Citizens for East Shore Parks is an agreement guaranteeing real shoreline open P.O. Box 6087, Albany, CA 94706 space, not just the hints of open space in Magna’s www.eastshorepark.org tel.:510.461.4665 development plans. We urge the City of Albany to commence an open planning process for the future of the Albany Waterfront. We urge everyone to participate and to respectfully share ideas for the Albany shoreline. .