One thing Vegas doesn’t have is a beach. And about the only thing Miami Beach doesn’t have is a casino. For years, gaming supporters have tried to bring full scale gambling to the Sunshine State, but a majority of voters has always defeated them. But state Republicans are betting in 2011, with 1 million people unemployed and a $3.5 Billion budget deficit, this time expanding gaming won’t crap out.
The legislation being proposed would allow for 4 or 5 massive casino-resorts, each no closer than 75 miles from the other and all featuring Vegas-style games of chance, hotels, convention space, restaurants, retail and entertainment, much like you’d find in Las Vegas at Caesar’s Palace, the Bellagio or Wynn.
Supporters say each casino-resort would inject 2 to 3 Billion dollars into the economy, much of it purely for construction. After they’re up and running and pocketing the losses of gambling tourists, they’d add a projected $500 million in annual state tax revenue and 140,000 jobs. Republican Governor Rick Scott campaigned promising he’d deliver 700,000 jobs under his policies. Earlier this month, Scott told a reporter he’d be open to the concept of legalizing commercial casino in Florida, but has since backpedaled a bit. Disney opposes the legislation expanding what gamblers can legally place wagers on and so does the city of Miami Beach, whose city commissioners voted unanimously to fight it, or at least have a say in how it might be implemented.
Florida’s Senate President, Republican Mike Haridopolos predicts the chance of the casino-resort bill becoming law is the same as putting all your chips on red and spinning the wheel: 50-50.