A casino dubbed Crystal Bay planned near Oakland International Airport would feature 2,000 slot machines, placing it among the largest gaming halls in Northern California.

Oakland officials gave plans from the Lower Lake Rancheria Koi Nation a mixed reception Thursday, with many City Council members saying they are skeptical the benefits of a casino would outweigh the costs.

While no council member refused to rule out an Oakland casino, several said they fear a casino would exacerbate poverty and boost crime in East Oakland.

The tribe intends to begin meeting with community groups this weekend in an attempt to drum up support for its proposal and answer critics.

"I've seen firsthand how poor people can lose their whole fortune and end up destitute," Councilmember Jean Quan said.

But Koi Nation Chairman Daniel Beltran said his 50-member tribe is committed to creating 4,400 well-paying jobs as well as an architecturally significant casino.

"We want to build something that will make people stop and say, 'Wow!'" Beltran said, standing on the 35-acre parking lot at Swan Way and Pardee Drive that he hopes to see transformed into a casino, hotel and resort.

A concert stage would attract marquee performers perhaps attracted by the proximity of a bustling airport, he added.

"It will be unique, not Vegas and not typically California in style," Beltran said. "It will have a little something for everyone."

The tribe has offered to pay Oakland $11 million a year to offset the cost of police and fire services for the casino and has predicted it would generate $1 billion a year for Oakland's economy.

Supporters, such as Councilmember Larry Reid (Elmhurst-East Oakland), said that is too much money to pass up without seriously considering the proposal.

"We have to look at different and drastic ways of raising revenues," Reid said.

Beltran said the tribe is still working with its architects, Bergman Walls and Associates, which designed Caesars Palace, Paris Las Vegas and the Mirage in Las Vegas, to finalize the design.

But it is sure to incorporate water elements, perhaps a series of ponds with benches and bridges for strolling and sitting, Beltran said. In addition, the blue-mirrored hotel would scrape the East Oakland sky to take advantage of views of both the Oakland hills and the San Francisco skyline.

Before ground is broken on what is now a parking lot, the tribe's plans must be approved by both the federal and state governments and get the blessing of the Oakland City Council. Even in a best-case scenario for the casino, it will take years to win final approval, officials said.