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Anti-Gambling Feelings Dominate Escambia County Hearing
November 15, 2013
Members of the Senate Gaming Committee gathered in Pensacola on Thursday and predominately heard opposition from Panhandle residents to the expansion of gambling — with the prevailing opinion that the state shouldn’t make gaming options more convenient or approve massive casinos, even if they’re just in South Florida.
“Keep Biloxi in Biloxi,” said Randolph Smith, a former Lutheran pastor from Pensacola who called himself a compulsive gambler.
The on-the-road hearing was the third for the committee as it gathers input on potential changes to the state’s gambling scene, with the possibilities ranging from non-tribal casino resorts to the addition of slot machines at pari-mutuels outside of Broward and Miami-Dade counties.
Prior hearings were held in Coconut Creek and Lakeland. A fourth hearing will be held Friday in Jacksonville.
With about 40 speakers during the hearing at the WSRE-TV Jean & Paul Amos Performance Studio in Pensacola, the committee has now heard from nearly 180 people at the three stops.
Representatives of Ebro Greyhound Park in Washington County and the Atmore Poarch Creek Indian operated Gretna Racing in Gadsden County spoke about the need for lawmakers to change a state law — backed by Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi — that only recognizes referendums on slot machines in Miami-Dade and Broward counties.
Also, the lawmakers heard a few voices saying Florida should create a statewide regulatory body and receive the gambling revenue that state residents are currently taking elsewhere.
“You cannot dictate, you cannot control people,” said Sylvia Pearson, a retired widow from Pensacola. “Why not take advantage of the job opportunities, and possible income of casino jobs, and not have the 99 percent of us taking our money to Biloxi.”
Senate President Don Gaetz, a Niceville Republican who attended the hearing, said the gaming review is needed because a major component of a legal compact with the Seminole Indians is expiring and the Legislature needs direction before the 2014 session to either continue the deal or move in another direction.
The 2010 compact guarantees the tribe will make minimum annual payments, totaling $1 billion over five years, to the state. But the annual payments will be cut nearly in half when the deal with the Seminoles regarding banked table games sunsets in less than two years unless reauthorized by lawmakers and the governor.
Committee members Thursday offered little insight into where they were heading on the issue, mostly saying they were “listening and learning.”
A couple of speakers during the hearing said an expansion of gambling would result in an increase in fatherless children, foreclosed homes and declining educational standards.
“Why are we here?” said Russell Edgar, an attorney from Pensacola. “The public did not ask this to happen, the gaming industry staged this.”
Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan, speaking on behalf of the Florida Sheriffs Association, predicted that the while there may be a short-term economic boon through real estate and construction after casinos are approved, the revenue “flat lines” around the five-year mark while divorce, domestic violence and even police corruption could be expected to grow.
“Gambling is a perversion of capitalism, in order for me to win someone has to lose and we in the public safety sector are left to clean up,” Morgan said. “Mississippi is still one of the poorest states in our country, (and) has among the lowest rates of graduation. This panacea of an economic boost will not be found in the gambling industry.”
Emulating the positions of Disney World and the Florida Chamber of Commerce, a bigger concern for a number of Panhandle officials and business leaders is the perceived negative image that would be cast on the state from more gaming, regardless of where casinos would be allowed.
Shane Moody, president and CEO of the Destin Area Chamber of Commerce, said an expansion of gambling in Florida would harm the family brand his tourism-dependent coastal community has fostered.
“What this means to Destin and the state is that we lose the family brand we’ve created, we lose our small business economy as the large casinos do all they can to keep visitors and gamblers in their facilities,” Moody said. “Let us continue working together across the state to build our economy with high-tech, research, medical and other jobs.”
by Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida
Comments
14 Responses to “Anti-Gambling Feelings Dominate Escambia County Hearing”
I need some help on this one.
We have the lottery that is supposedly helping the schools. We’ve had dog racing here for over 40 years. We have these sliding quarter machines locally. So why not a nice casino on the beach. Casino beach (Pensacola beach) had a casino in the 20’s and 30’s. So why not now. I’ve never seen anyone chained to a casino bus to Mississippi
Gambling is already”allowed” . So this is not about whether or not gambling is moral. This is about letting the state get some of the billions of dollars that only the “Indians” are allowed to collect. It is crazy to say it is legal for the indians to own and opperate casinos but it is illegal for any other citizens to own and operate casinos.
If people want to spend their earnings on scratchies then let them scratch.
I don’t care as long as they use the kiosk and do not clog the check out lines.
No one forces anyone to walk into a casino, if they loose their behind then that is their weak mind.
I’m no expert, but it doesn’t seem like casinos send out teams of people to forcibly abduct guests and bring them to their gambling dens. As I recall, folks go in there willingly. Do some get hooked on that sweet, delicious gambling? Probably. Don’t other people get hooked on sweet, delicious cigarettes or sweet, delicious alcohol? Must we extend prohibition to these vices which are, evidently, more socially acceptable? I would say no.
Let the people gamble. Keep the money local. Quit supporting the tribes and the other large gambling operations. Why wait on an organization with ethnic hiring preferences to give you crumbs from the table when you could pull up a chair for yourself? Why burn gas to go to Biloxi and lose your cash when you could lose your paycheck right around the corner?
Do we REALLY need more problems in Fl. than we already have?
I think NOT!
Big Bill… If you don’t like gambling then fine. Don’t try to push your beliefs on me or the people of Escambia County. If grown men and women go and blow their whole check at a casino then that is on them. We need the good paying jobs in this county, however it is a shame that our so called leaders can’t bring in any other jobs other than casinos. Basically Big Bill you need to do your homework. A majority of the people living around the casinos in Biloxi are military and the other people are uneducated slackers. Are you a slacker? Hmmm.
One more comment:
I voted against having a lottery in Florida, and I would vote against it again if I could.
With so many people despising governmental involvement in their lives, I cannot for the life of me understand how those same people could support a publicly operated and sanctioned gambling system.
I see the cute flamingo logo no differently than Joe Camel, too. Enticing people into yet another addiction.
I agree with Shane Moody of the Destin C of C (last two paragraphs of the article). Is this what Floridians really want for all of Florida? Does this really fit with what we want Florida to be?
Miami-Dade and Broward Counties have dynamic international economies driven by far, far more than tourism. The long-established wagering sports, and more recent additions of Seminole and Miccosukee casinos, are but a tiny fraction and revenue source for these major urban centers, where 20% of all Floridians reside.
Where I see increased gambling as a problem is in medium and smaller counties, where the machines and casinos become a domineering force and a perceived “job creator” where few jobs previously existed. Casinos and gaming become governmental and private sector financial addictions. In other words, if the casino needs a $100K traffic signal, the public pays the bill. New stores come in, and over burden existing infrastructure, then everyone has to pay, instead of the developers and profiteers.
The biggest surprise to me in the article is S of S Pam Bondi supporting gaming expansion. Ultra conservative, backed by the evangelical and Tea Party base of the Florida Republicans, national political aspirations, supporting gambling expansion? Really? I would think the evangelical base would be fit to be tied and very vocal against such a stand.
We don’t need others personal religious views to hold back jobs . The casino in Atmore Alabama is probably the best thing that ever happened to Atmore. It created jobs, and the whole surrounding area business have been created due to the extra traffic to the specific area.
This is the most nonsense statement ever, does he have any peer reviewed scientific data to back this up? Otherwise his statement is meaningless
“Florida Sheriffs Association, predicted that the while there may be a short-term economic boon through real estate and construction after casinos are approved, the revenue “flat lines” around the five-year mark while divorce, domestic violence and even police corruption could be expected to grow”
Higher divorce rates because they have a casino? Where is the scientific evidence that divorce rates would be related to that? It sounds like this was just a bunch of people with religious views trying to oppress the majority.
To all the bleeding hearts I say there will always be alcoholics, drug addicts, and compulsive gamblers– No matter what you do or not do you cannot prevent this- In my opinion, if Pensacola does not take advantage of these job opportunities and extra revenue it is not only dumb but stupid. Note I said my opinion, which opinions are like behinds-everyone has one.
We do not need gambling in Florida, and eventually here in the Pensacola area. If anyone has ever witnessed the devastation of gambling on just one person, one family, they would not be so quick to welcome gambling. (I have witnessed this, and it’s not very pretty) The ONLY ones who benefit are the casino owners. The short-term monetary gains pale in comparison to the future needs of more law enforcement officers, correctional officers, etc. (which, by the way are not free, your tax dollars will have to be re-allocated and/or increased) Biloxi appears so nice, so enticing. Just take a little drive through the neighborhoods around that area… you would be surprised. Florida’s community leaders need to put their thinking caps on and come up with some REAL plans for our economic future, not take the seemingly easy way and go for the quick buck….just like a gambler. Only this time they are gambling with our future, with Florida’s future, and eventually, Pensacola’s future. What happened to all the economic benefits promised by the lottery? Our education system is still struggling. Playing the lottery and scratch-off tickets tickets are also gambling. I’ve seen people blow half their paychecks on the promise of a big score, casinos would be far worse. It’s not worth it, it just isn’t.
Paul you are absolutely right. The fact is that the casinos will employ there own security personnel and will most likely pay more than your local law enforcement agencies. This means the local departments will lose people to get better pay. That will be the majority of the burden. The casinos will bring more money which will boost this county improvement on everything including roadway, jobs , and other need projects. If they really want to know how Florida feels about this; just put it on the 2014 ballot.
” Mississippi is still one of the poorest states” it maybe that but if you go to the Biloxi area they got a major boost from these casinos. Personally I don’t think it will bring a crime increase. Crime here is on the rise anyway. This whole committee is here to protect the interest of the local bingo and dog track owners who are raking in profits from the ones who can’t make the trip elsewhere to a real casino. As for the crime rate, crime is what you make it. How many robberies or violent crimes are reported from the dog track or these bingo establishments are reported? I bet less than people getting robbed at a local Walmart. (Pensacola motto)The same people stay rich and the other stay where they are. Bring the casinos to Florida.
I am all for having casinos in Florida.The only problem that I can see is that yes it would increase some crime in the area but the problem is the lack of support for my sheriff from the County Commissioners.Maybe the casinos can pay for the extra burden on our law enforcement agencies.I’ll take casinos,extra jobs and let them pay for a better Public safety sector.