Abstract of Meeting Agenda
Huntington Park City Council,
April 19, 2004.
Closed Session Item 3
Pursuant to California Government
Code Section 54956.8,
CONFERENCE – REAL PROPERTY
NEGOTIATORS, Property:
Alameda Corridor Agency Negotiator:
Gregory Korduner Negotiating Parties:
Tigran Marcarian and the City of
Huntington Park
…………………………………………………………
Abstract of Meeting Agenda
Huntington Park City Council,
June 21, 2004.
CONSENT CALENDAR
Notice to Public: All matters listed
under the Consent Calendar (1-7) are
considered to be routine and will all be
enacted by one motion in the form
listed below. The City Council
Members have received detailed staff
reports on
each of the items recommending an
action. There will be no separate
discussion of these items prior to the
time the
Council votes on the motion unless
members of the Council, staff, or the
public request specific items to be
discussed and/or removed from the
Consent Calendar for separate action.
OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK
1. Minutes of the regular meeting of
the City Council held Monday, June 7,
2004.
2. Ratify approval given by City
Council of Exclusive Negotiation
Agreement by and
between the City of Huntington Park
and Tigran Z. Marcarian concerning the
establishment and operation of a card
club within the jurisdiction of the City.
Huntington Park City Council,
April 19, 2004.
Closed Session Item 3
Pursuant to California Government
Code Section 54956.8,
CONFERENCE – REAL PROPERTY
NEGOTIATORS, Property:
Alameda Corridor Agency Negotiator:
Gregory Korduner Negotiating Parties:
Tigran Marcarian and the City of
Huntington Park
…………………………………………………………
Abstract of Meeting Agenda
Huntington Park City Council,
June 21, 2004.
CONSENT CALENDAR
Notice to Public: All matters listed
under the Consent Calendar (1-7) are
considered to be routine and will all be
enacted by one motion in the form
listed below. The City Council
Members have received detailed staff
reports on
each of the items recommending an
action. There will be no separate
discussion of these items prior to the
time the
Council votes on the motion unless
members of the Council, staff, or the
public request specific items to be
discussed and/or removed from the
Consent Calendar for separate action.
OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK
1. Minutes of the regular meeting of
the City Council held Monday, June 7,
2004.
2. Ratify approval given by City
Council of Exclusive Negotiation
Agreement by and
between the City of Huntington Park
and Tigran Z. Marcarian concerning the
establishment and operation of a card
club within the jurisdiction of the City.
| July 1, 2004 Mayor John Noguez and Council Members Ed Escareno, Mario Gomez and Ofelia Hernandez voted on June 21, 2004 to hire "Tigran Z. Marcarian of Santa Monica to set up a card club in the city, even though the state reportedly has stopped issuing card club permits" as reported in the Wave Community Newspaper. "Noguez said he’d still like to see a card club established at 6218 Alameda St., site of the previous Los Angeles Card Club, now Leonardo’s Restaurant." Mayor Noguez has publicly stated that the owner of Leonardo's Restaurant and Night Club is a family relative. Leonardo's gave substantial campaign contributions to Mayor Noguez and Council Members Mario Gomez and Ofelia Hernandez. Council Member Loya voted against the casino proposal. He "had previously recalled that the Los Angeles Card Club never lived up to revenue expectations, and “the last two owners are in jail.” |
| WatchOurCity.com congratulates and applauds Mayor John Noguez for having the courage and good sense of transparency to be listed as an OUT & ELECTED OFFICIAL by Gay & Lesbian Victory Leadership Institute, a national political organization working to elect openly gay and lesbian public officials. WatchOurCity.com only wishes that Huntington Park's Mayor Juan Noguez had exercised the same courage and the same urgency for transparency and mature judgement with his recent vote on the Card Casino issue where the agenda item was hidden from Public scrutiny under the cloak of "Closed Session". The Card Casino issue was inappropriately listed on the "Closed Sessions" Council Agenda item as "Alameda Corridor" (4-19-04; Closed Sessions, Item 3) giving the impression that it had to do with a Real Estate transaction and nothing to do with a Card Club. What was Mayor Juan Noguez, Vice Mayor Ofelia Hernandez and Council Member Mario Gomez hiding from the public? Was the Mayor hiding potential Conflict of Interest in voting for an item that would help Leonardo's, the Mayor's family member as he has publicly stated? Or the fact that all three elected officials received substantial monetary campaign contributions from Leonardo’s, Or perhaps that fact that they are hiding Pay-for-Play that favors special interest and not the general interest, an activity that another mayor from a local big city is currently under federal investigation for? Public Trust betrayed? |
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Huntington Park Tries to Revive
Casino
Wave Community Newspapers
By ARNOLD ADLER, Staff Writer 21.APR.04
HUNTINGTON PARK — In a closed session
Monday night, the City Council voted 3-2 to
“pursue
development opportunities which could include
a card club” at Leonardo’s Restaurant, 6611
Alameda
St.
But Councilman Ric Loya said Tuesday the
issue may already be dead.
“I did not know the topic of the closed session
in advance,” said Loya. “When I learned of it, I
called
the state Attorney General’s Office and he said
there is a moratorium on new card clubs in
California
until 2010.
“[The supporters] did not do their homework.”
Backing the move were Mayor Juan Noguez,
Vice Mayor Ofelia Hernandez and Councilman
Mario
Gomez. Dissenting were Councilman Edward
Escareño and Loya.
Noguez said Tuesday a key factor would be
the status of the old casino permit, owned by
the city,
and whether it is still valid.
It’s no longer valid according to the attorney
general, Loya said.
Agent Supervisor Don Van Dooran of the state’
s gaming division in Sacramento confirmed
Tuesday
that legislation which took effect in January
extended a moratorium on new card clubs from
2007 to
2010.
The law does not affect Native American
casinos.
On Tuesday, Noguez said the
restaurant/nightclub does well on weekends
but is under-used during
the week and is often closed.
Proposed is a possible lease by the city of
some 40,000 square feet of the building, which
could
become a card club operated by another party,
the mayor said.
Noguez said owner Leonardo Lopez Sr. has no
interest in operating a card club but might
lease space
to another party. A possible casino operator,
Tigran Marcarian, is talking with the city about
it.
Marcarian operates the San Pablo Casino near
Sacramento, Noguez said.
“I would highly favor a card club,” Noguez said.
“The city has invested $14 million in the old
casino
and should recoup some of that investment. It’
s estimated that the city could earn $300,000
a year
from a card club which would provide 50 jobs,”
the mayor said.
“No strip club is planned,” added Noguez, who
said that was an unfounded rumor in the
community.
Loya said he was against any deal for a new
casino because of the problems with the
previous
Huntington Park Casino at the restaurant site.
“I have a lot of concern about a casino coming
in,” Loya said. “The previous owner [Harry
Wang] tried
to bribe me and he’s in jail.” Loya reported the
bribery attempt to the FBI several years ago.
“[The former casino owners] promised us
millions of dollars, but it never happened,”
Loya said “I have
been and always will be opposed to a casino
coming into the city.”
Called Leonardo’s Casino, the nightclub like
facility offers food and dancing to live music on
weekends.
It’s owned by Leonardo Lopez Sr., and his son,
Leonardo Jr.
The latter is a board member of the Greater
Huntington Park Area Chamber of Commerce.
The family
owns and operates five Leonardo’s
Restaurants in the Los Angeles area.
Restaurant officials could not be reached for
comment Tuesday.
Earlier Monday evening, several members of
the audience spoke against a casino during
the public
comment section and accused officials of trying
to disguise the fact that a casino was on the
agenda.
“I am ashamed of the council,” said resident
Sergio Palos. He said the closed session topic
was listed
on the agenda as “real property negotiations”
and described the property only as the
“Alameda
Corridor.”
Palos said one of the listed negotiating parties
was Marcarian.
“Casinos have been a problem in the past and
nothing has changed,” Palos said.
“It’s not a good idea for a Gentleman’s Club,”
said his wife, Patricia.
Chris Aguilar, a Huntington Park High School
students, said “casinos have the power to
destroy
homes when people gamble away their
mortgage money.”
He said he opposed a casino, even though it
might offer part-time employment teen-agers
such as he.
Casino
Wave Community Newspapers
By ARNOLD ADLER, Staff Writer 21.APR.04
HUNTINGTON PARK — In a closed session
Monday night, the City Council voted 3-2 to
“pursue
development opportunities which could include
a card club” at Leonardo’s Restaurant, 6611
Alameda
St.
But Councilman Ric Loya said Tuesday the
issue may already be dead.
“I did not know the topic of the closed session
in advance,” said Loya. “When I learned of it, I
called
the state Attorney General’s Office and he said
there is a moratorium on new card clubs in
California
until 2010.
“[The supporters] did not do their homework.”
Backing the move were Mayor Juan Noguez,
Vice Mayor Ofelia Hernandez and Councilman
Mario
Gomez. Dissenting were Councilman Edward
Escareño and Loya.
Noguez said Tuesday a key factor would be
the status of the old casino permit, owned by
the city,
and whether it is still valid.
It’s no longer valid according to the attorney
general, Loya said.
Agent Supervisor Don Van Dooran of the state’
s gaming division in Sacramento confirmed
Tuesday
that legislation which took effect in January
extended a moratorium on new card clubs from
2007 to
2010.
The law does not affect Native American
casinos.
On Tuesday, Noguez said the
restaurant/nightclub does well on weekends
but is under-used during
the week and is often closed.
Proposed is a possible lease by the city of
some 40,000 square feet of the building, which
could
become a card club operated by another party,
the mayor said.
Noguez said owner Leonardo Lopez Sr. has no
interest in operating a card club but might
lease space
to another party. A possible casino operator,
Tigran Marcarian, is talking with the city about
it.
Marcarian operates the San Pablo Casino near
Sacramento, Noguez said.
“I would highly favor a card club,” Noguez said.
“The city has invested $14 million in the old
casino
and should recoup some of that investment. It’
s estimated that the city could earn $300,000
a year
from a card club which would provide 50 jobs,”
the mayor said.
“No strip club is planned,” added Noguez, who
said that was an unfounded rumor in the
community.
Loya said he was against any deal for a new
casino because of the problems with the
previous
Huntington Park Casino at the restaurant site.
“I have a lot of concern about a casino coming
in,” Loya said. “The previous owner [Harry
Wang] tried
to bribe me and he’s in jail.” Loya reported the
bribery attempt to the FBI several years ago.
“[The former casino owners] promised us
millions of dollars, but it never happened,”
Loya said “I have
been and always will be opposed to a casino
coming into the city.”
Called Leonardo’s Casino, the nightclub like
facility offers food and dancing to live music on
weekends.
It’s owned by Leonardo Lopez Sr., and his son,
Leonardo Jr.
The latter is a board member of the Greater
Huntington Park Area Chamber of Commerce.
The family
owns and operates five Leonardo’s
Restaurants in the Los Angeles area.
Restaurant officials could not be reached for
comment Tuesday.
Earlier Monday evening, several members of
the audience spoke against a casino during
the public
comment section and accused officials of trying
to disguise the fact that a casino was on the
agenda.
“I am ashamed of the council,” said resident
Sergio Palos. He said the closed session topic
was listed
on the agenda as “real property negotiations”
and described the property only as the
“Alameda
Corridor.”
Palos said one of the listed negotiating parties
was Marcarian.
“Casinos have been a problem in the past and
nothing has changed,” Palos said.
“It’s not a good idea for a Gentleman’s Club,”
said his wife, Patricia.
Chris Aguilar, a Huntington Park High School
students, said “casinos have the power to
destroy
homes when people gamble away their
mortgage money.”
He said he opposed a casino, even though it
might offer part-time employment teen-agers
such as he.
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Card Casino Volume I
| "These cities still function in a relative vacuum....often the government officials aren't checked by anyone...and its almost as if its ripe for corruption" -Gregory Rodriguez, Senior Fellow, New American Foundation, Wave Community Newspapers |
Card Casino
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