WESTMINSTER : Council Wants No County Card Clubs

The City Council has unanimously approved a resolution “adamantly and categorically” opposing the opening of casinos, card clubs or other gambling establishments in Orange County.

The resolution, approved last week, blames gambling for increases in homicides, assaults, loan sharking, prostitution, money laundering, drug sales, extortion and robberies in other cities. It states that prohibiting “gambling elements” from invading the community would be in the best interests of the city and the county.

The council’s resolution comes as several nearby cities debate whether to allow casinos. While many residents oppose large-scale gambling in their communities, club operators are trying to tempt city governments with the prospect of badly needed revenue from gambling houses.

In Cypress, where residents will vote on the fate of a card club at Los Alamitos race track, track owner Lloyd Arnold said his club could bring the city $12 million a year, along with more police officers, a city Fire Department, a giant banquet hall and 2,500 jobs.

Card club operators have also approached Garden Grove officials, hoping to sell them on allowing a gambling house. Stanton residents, too, will vote on whether to allow the controversial clubs in that city.

But Westminster officials say their city will have nothing to do with any form of gambling, and they hope to impress upon other cities the importance of keeping gambling out of Orange County.

Mayor Charles V. Smith said he will seek the support of the West Orange County Mayors, a group of eight mayors who meet once a month to discuss local issues, and will push the county division of the League of California Cities to come out against the clubs. He says he also hopes to form a group of independent cities to fight gambling in Orange County.

“We want to get civic and community leaders banded together,” Smith said. “We intend to fight it not just at the city level, but in the communities that are voting on it so they fully understand what card clubs and gambling can do to the community.