Nevada gambling companies want to create jobs, help solve budget woes – in Florida
More coverage from the St. Petersburg Times in Florida where lobbyists from Nevada gambling companies are angling to build new, destination casino resorts.
The proposal for major casino resorts in Florida is seen by Gov. Rick Scott as a potential solution to help fill a state budget deficit without imposing new taxes.
The paper reported the president of the Florida state senate says there is a "50/50" chance a casino bill could become law. A senate committee heard testimony on the subject Tuesday.
According to the Times: "The bidders would pay a $50 million application fee and be offered an exclusive contract to operate the games, with the resorts at least 75 miles apart."
In Nevada gambling companies have resisted calls to pay more in fees and taxes in order to help the state balance an upside down budget. But at least two companies, Wynn Resorts and Las Vegas Sands, are seeking to do business in Florida despite talk of big fees as a condition of operating desintation casino resorts.
More from the Times:
The committee also heard from lobbyists for the Las Vegas Sands and Wynn Resort Casinos Tuesday, who said they are interested in attracting tourists to Florida with promises of high-end retail and convention style casinos that would compete with Florida's horse and dog tracks as well as the seven casinos on the Seminole Tribe's seven reservations.
"We're hoping that there will be legislation put forward that will be conducive to us creating a model," said Andy Abboud, vice president of the Las Vegas Sands. He said his company wants to build a large-scale meeting and convention space with a retail, dining and entertainment complex with a "gaming component." As he showed photos of lavish resorts in Las Vegas, Singapore and Macau, he promised that Florida's resort would be ''spectacularly designed."
