Saturday benefit canceled over casino traffic concerns

  Sunset on the Bridge, an evening benefit planned by two nonprofit groups, has been cancelled following concerns from the Quechan Indian Tribe that closing the Ocean to Ocean Bridge for several hours would hurt business at Paradise Casinos.

  The tribe notified Fort Yuma Rotary last week that the bridge could not be closed for this Saturday's event, which was to raise funds for the club and Arizona's Children Association. Rotary leaders, who are scurrying this week to notify ticket holders, had sold one third of the tickets and said they were expecting a sold-out event.

  But those leaders stressed that while the tribe's decision came "in the eleventh hour," the Rotary club understands the decision.

  "We respect the tribe's position on this and don't have any ill feeling toward anyone," said Dan Montoya, co-chairman for Sunset on the Bridge. " I regret not being able to complete the event, but I don't hold any grudges about it. We hope to do better next time around if we can."

  Sunset on the Bridge involved $80 tickets and promised an evening of food, music and dancing. This was the first year Fort Yuma Rotary planned to share its fundraising event. Arizona's Children Association provides serves to children and families in crisis. Past years of Sunset on the Bridge have raised up to $100,000.

  The Quechan Indian Tribe has allowed the Ocean to Ocean Bridge to be closed three times in the past for Sunset on the Bridge, according to Montoya, plus several other events that have required a temporary stop to traffic.

  "We had no reason to think we would have any trouble this time," Montoya said. "We couldn't see a reason not to support the effort. Nothing had changed that we were aware of."

  The Rotary club received permits from the City of Yuma and the California Department of Transportation. But a green light was also needed from the tribe, since the north end of the bridge rests upon tribal land and because the bridge represents the main route to the tribe's casinos.

  Mike Jackson, president of the Quechan Tribe, returned a call from The Sun after presstime.

  Local officials with Arizona's Children Association referred all media inquiries to Fort Yuma Rotary.

  The Rotary club made its permit request to the tribe back in February. The tribe turned down the request on April 10, according to Montoya. The club appealed the decision, which Montoya said the tribal council repeated during a meeting on April 16.

  "When we first got the bad news on April 10 that was already in the 11th hour. We were in full process of selling all the tickets," the club official said. "It was crippling to the event's success from the beginning. Even if we had good news (by April 16) it would have been very difficult to achieve the level of sales we needed."

  He added that tickets are being refunded, but some purchasers are insisting
that the nonprofit groups keep the money.

  "It was really quite amazing how many people in the community were pulling for us to get this bad news reversed," Montoya said.

  Robert Campbell, president of Fort Yuma Rotary, said he's not sure how this year's cancelation will affect the club's future fundraising decisions.

  "This is certainly going to make us sit back and and really think about the event and decide whether were are going to do it next year or not," Campbell said. "I certainly don't want to speak for next year's president and board. This is something they are going to have to regroup over and give some serious thought."

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Darin Fenger can be reached at dfenger@yumasun.com or 539-6860.

NOTE: Story updated at 11:10 a.m. Wednesday, April 22.