Jeff-
Thanks for the update on the West Side site. I might be interested if you get the DVD availible on it, as well as anything you have on Bob Rossis' in Santa Margarita as I'm updating my story on those engines and Bill Norred here. By way of my site I also got an e-mail from the Norred's secretary.
In terms of a railroad line as part of the casino site...just my opinion:
Look at Las Vegas; the big picture. It's got the casinos; but to keep a family destination, they've got places like the Adventuredome theme park, the Venetian gondola rides, and formerly the Sigfried & Roy (and other) animal shows, etc. This had made Vegas a family destination (at least last time I was there) that gave the whole family a good time. In terms of the Me-Wuk casino...by restoring the line to say...5 miles out of the mill site, this would make for a decent 1+ hour excursion. Build a casino in a log cabin style...plus this rail excursion...plus other things could make the Me-Wuk casino a family destination with fun for all. I'm not sure what they are aiming for, but a steam train excursion is just one of many things they could do to accomplish the whole family appeal thing. I heard Glen Bell had steam boat rides...there's another attraction possibility. Take for example Clark's Trading Post in New Hampshire; steam railroad, bear show, entertainment, etc...add that to a casino, kill some cheesiness, etc. Perhaps they could hire an outside tourist railroad operator of sorts to run the railroad for them if they don't want to deal with the operation process/maintaining equipment. I will tell you that the Indian casinos here...some have been made into family destinations with shops and restaurants, others not. Foxwoods, Mohegan Sun, just to name two. They destroyed the communities they were in, but aside from that, they turn in profit. Now my area is trying to fight off another casino literally 1/4 mile from our residential neighborhood on a land which (though the deed seems to be conveniently 'lost') was not reservation land but rather for hunting and gathering firewood. This would pose a threat due to its close proximity to the existing Connecticut casinos. Back to railroads and away from casions...
Who knows. Just my idea/two cents/may not even make sense...but oh well.
-Ed Kelley
