OAKLAND - Forget about crime, traffic, gambling addiction and other societal ills that, in the view of some people, a proposed casino in East Oakland would generate.

Others have different reasons for opposing the casino.

Take Dolores Butkus, for example. At a public hearing on the proposal last week, the president of the Oakland Bird Club warned that bright lights, noise and traffic would hamper bird-watching.

"The Arrowhead Marsh Wildlife Refuge should be protected," Butkus said.

But the casino had some defenders. "Blacks in East Oakland do a lot of bird watching, too, because we ain't working. The casino will bring jobs," said Johnnie Jackson, from his seat near the rear of the East Oakland Senior Center on Edes Avenue.

Most speakers at the Wednesday hearing, chaired by the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs, condemned plans for the Crystal Bay Casino near Oakland International Airport - a 199,650-square-foot complex on nearly 36 acres.

Like Butkus, environmentalists from the Sierra Club, Save the Bay and other groups said it would harm wildlife and endangered species. Civic leaders said any new jobs would be offset by increases in crime, traffic and gambling addictions.

Residents from Alameda and San Leandro said officials should also consider the negative impact of gambling on their cities.

Among officials who attended the meeting were City Councilmembers Jean Quan (Montclair-Laurel) and Larry Reid (East Oakland Hills-Elmhurst).

The City Council's Community and Economic Development Committee is scheduled to take up the casino issue Jan. 11, and

the full council is expected to possibly vote for or against the casino Jan. 18.

Darryl Stewart, an aide to Alameda County Supervisor Nate Miley, said county officials oppose the casino because gaming exploits low-income African Americans. Although the neighborhood in which the casino would be built is predominantly African American, few attended the hearing. Several American Indians showed up but didn't speak.

"We want to know how many jobs will go to this community, and not people coming into Oakland," said Joe David, an African-American community leader.

Harold Perez of San Leandro spoke in favor of the casino. "I know I'm not going to be popular by saying this ... but where were you people when Wal-Mart wanted to come in and when

they talked about expanding the (Oakland International) airport. I can't control planes, but I should be able to go to a casino with my own money if I want to."

However, Russ Button of Alameda criticized the casino as a "business venture that will only profit from greed."

Robert Schwartz, chairman of the Oakland Urban Strategies Council, said millions of dollars have already been poured into East Oakland to remove blight and spur redevelopment.

"This will bring more blight," he said, adding that higher suicide rates, divorce and crimes come with casinos, as shown in Nevada.

"My children and I visit the Martin Luther King Jr. Shoreline and we like the panoramic view," said Philip Taylor.

"I live three blocks from here, and it's where I go to get away. A casino would bring more addiction to gambling, and people will lose their homes."