Politics
Stakes Growing as Gambling Bill Approaches First Vote
Around the State
Opponents and proponent of bills that would allow mega-casinos in South Florida and establish a statewide gaming commission aren't ready to fold with the approach of the first do-or-die committee vote.
On Thursday, representatives from a number of construction-based groups gathered at a Tallahassee employment center to highlight their support for the revamped bills they say means long-needed work for those in their industry.
See video here.
Within moments of the conclusion of the late morning event, the Florida Chamber of Commerce, one of the leading opponents of the gaming bills, quickly denounced the construction industry representatives' move as a “publicity stunt.”
“If casino gambling is such a good job creator, then why have leading policymakers called the out-of-state and foreign casino operators' claims of 100,000 jobs over the top?” Chamber President Mark Wilson asked in a release.
“If you turn Florida into the next Las Vegas, Florida will lose jobs just like Atlantic City did when mega-casinos were introduced there.”
Construction industry backers say legislators can’t afford to say no to the bills that would allow at least three mega-casinos, each requiring $2 billion in construction, when construction workers as a group surpass the state’s overall 10 percent unemployment rate.
“If we’re out of work, then Florida is just not working,” said Carol Bowen, vice president of government affairs, Associated Builders and Contractors Florida East Coast Chapter.
The construction groups placed the potential employment from building the casinos in the “tens of thousands.”
The Senate gaming bill SB 710, which is being revamped by sponsor Sen. Ellyn Bodganoff, R-Fort Lauderdale, and SB 712 also by Bogdanoff, are scheduled to return before the Senate Regulated Industries Committee on Monday afternoon, a day before the regular 60-day session gets underway.
The committee has held two hearings on the bill and committee Chairman Sen. Dennis Jones, R-Seminole, has told Miami Today he’d like to see a vote taken by the committee.
"Either way, I think we need to take care of it then,” Jones told Miami Today.
Bogdanoff has been revising SB 710 and its House companion HB 478, sponsored by Rep. Erik Fresen, R-Miami.
The bill initially proposed establishing a statewide gaming commission and allowing the construction of three mega-casinos that would be required to pay 10 percent of revenue to the state.
The bill has received criticism from members of the committee for failing to tackle growing Internet cafe businesses, where “sweepstakes” are offered as substitutes for cash prizes, and complaints from existing pari-mutuel operators that pay 35 percent of their revenue to the state.
Under Bogdanoff's draft revision, the bill would:
On Thursday, representatives from a number of construction-based groups gathered at a Tallahassee employment center to highlight their support for the revamped bills they say means long-needed work for those in their industry.
See video here.
Within moments of the conclusion of the late morning event, the Florida Chamber of Commerce, one of the leading opponents of the gaming bills, quickly denounced the construction industry representatives' move as a “publicity stunt.”
“If casino gambling is such a good job creator, then why have leading policymakers called the out-of-state and foreign casino operators' claims of 100,000 jobs over the top?” Chamber President Mark Wilson asked in a release.
“If you turn Florida into the next Las Vegas, Florida will lose jobs just like Atlantic City did when mega-casinos were introduced there.”
Construction industry backers say legislators can’t afford to say no to the bills that would allow at least three mega-casinos, each requiring $2 billion in construction, when construction workers as a group surpass the state’s overall 10 percent unemployment rate.
“If we’re out of work, then Florida is just not working,” said Carol Bowen, vice president of government affairs, Associated Builders and Contractors Florida East Coast Chapter.
The construction groups placed the potential employment from building the casinos in the “tens of thousands.”
The Senate gaming bill SB 710, which is being revamped by sponsor Sen. Ellyn Bodganoff, R-Fort Lauderdale, and SB 712 also by Bogdanoff, are scheduled to return before the Senate Regulated Industries Committee on Monday afternoon, a day before the regular 60-day session gets underway.
The committee has held two hearings on the bill and committee Chairman Sen. Dennis Jones, R-Seminole, has told Miami Today he’d like to see a vote taken by the committee.
"Either way, I think we need to take care of it then,” Jones told Miami Today.
Bogdanoff has been revising SB 710 and its House companion HB 478, sponsored by Rep. Erik Fresen, R-Miami.
The bill initially proposed establishing a statewide gaming commission and allowing the construction of three mega-casinos that would be required to pay 10 percent of revenue to the state.
The bill has received criticism from members of the committee for failing to tackle growing Internet cafe businesses, where “sweepstakes” are offered as substitutes for cash prizes, and complaints from existing pari-mutuel operators that pay 35 percent of their revenue to the state.
Under Bogdanoff's draft revision, the bill would:
Comments (4)
Steve Norton