Developer Pays $281,383 to Settle Card Club Suit
A divisive lawsuit over voter-approved gambling in Hawaiian Gardens has come to an end.
An out-of-court settlement signed Monday by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Lawrence Crispo closes allegations that card club developer Irving Moskowitz broke state and federal laws to build a gaming monopoly in the square-mile city.
Moskowitz agreed to pay $281,383.54 under the arrangement to anti-gambling activists who filed the lawsuit in the fall of 1995, when city voters approved his casino. He will also drop countercharges that area card clubs helped fund the suit in an attempt to stifle competition.
In a rare public statement, Moskowitz expressed gratitude to city residents, various officials and two former councilmen who were recalled by voters last year at the height of the city’s gambling controversy. He said construction of the casino will begin this summer.
Mayor Lupe Cabrera said the settlement will clear the way for long-anticipated gambling revenues.
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