Hi Ron,

To make a long story short, gaming revenues in Colorado are at an all time high. Politically, casino gaming was vehemently opposed when it became a ballot issue by then governor "rodeo" Roy Romer, the recently fired head of the Democratic National Committee.

What is happening in Central City is a combination of the "big guy squeezing out the little guy" and a concerted effort by Black Hawk casinos and the city council to prevent business from bypassing their town. As things are now, you have to drive through Black Hawk to get to Central City, and if you're healthy, it's a good walk, the towns are less than a mile apart. Central City has been trying for several years to have a road built as a direct route from I-70. Black Hawk has gone as far as buying mining claims along the route of the proposed Central City direct access road from I-70, knowing that 50% of land owners and those holding mineral rights need to approve of and grant access to such use of their lands and rights. This new road has been approved for construction, one court fight has been lost by those opposing the road, but it's still gonna take a couple years to build it, if other court challenges fail. By that time, it's probably gonna be too late to save many of the remaing Central City casinos. The real irony in this whole deal is, a good straight shot from the Interstate to Central City would help both towns. The drive up the canyon to Black Hawk is a pain, cumbersome to begin with, and I always seem to get behind an 85 year-old driver who can't find the gas pedal on his Lincoln towncar!

That's how it is now....

Bob