TALLAHASSEE — A new bill introduced in the Florida legislature could open up the doorway to far more casinos in South Florida.
To recognize the newest monthly bill, it really is essential to fully grasp what is actually by now legislation.
“The 2021 compact gave the Seminoles a number of diverse matters: In-human being sports betting, online athletics betting (and) craps roulette,” reported Bob Jarvis, a legislation professor at Nova Southeastern. “And as aspect of the offer, the Seminoles agreed to maximize their regular payout to the state, but they also agreed that they would not elevate any objections to any casinos, for absence of a better phrase, that would be constructed in South Florida so prolonged as those people new amenities were being at least 15 miles from their gambling hub in in Hollywood.”
It’s a provision Jarvis states was set in intentionally.
“As it turns out, both Doral and Fontainebleau are just previous 15 miles from the Seminoles and it has always been considered that that provision was put into the compact to appease Donald Trump due to the fact Donald Trump is the proprietor of Doral,” he stated. “Jeffrey Soffer, whose household owns the Fontainbleau, has preferred to have gaming functions at the Fontainbleau forever.”
The new legislation, identified as SB 1054, claims gaming permit holders ought to be authorized to transfer their licenses to new spots inside of a 30-mile radius.
But the measure has drawn some opponents.
” I will not assume that we need to have it,” claimed former Miami Seashore Mayor Dan Gelber. “Our financial state is flourishing, persons are coming in this article, and we have a great hospitality industry. All casinos do is cannibalize everyone else to commonly just the reward of a one individual or small business.”
Gelber, who still left business following hitting expression restrict, has fought from gambling expansion in Florida for a long time.
“The second matter that monthly bill does (is) it would preempt local governments from attempting to halt it,” he said. “So no make a difference what our residents explained.”
Jarvis wants to make it added very clear, he thinks this is a political transfer.
“It is particularly challenging for a gambling invoice to get handed, and so this is much more of a publicity stunt than anything at all else,” Jarvis said.
If the monthly bill does go, it would possible be bottled up in litigation for a long time.
CBS News Miami attained out to the Fontainebleau and the state senator who authored the invoice for remark but did not quickly get comment.
