'A bad bet for Florida': St. Pete Times argues against casinos for South Florida

See editorial here.

Supporters of the plan, including sponsors Sen. Ellyn Bogdanoff, R-Fort Lauderdale, and Rep. Eric Fresen, R-Miami, deflect questions on the societal costs increased gambling brings. Bogdanoff, a former antigambling lawmaker turned casino backer, argues Florida is already a gambling state with horse and dog tracks, bingo parlors, cruises to nowhere, a state lottery and Indian casinos. Supporters claim high-end destination casinos with accompanying resorts and convention centers under intense state regulation are a logical way to increase the state's revenues and create jobs.

Miami Herald building

But lacking is any analysis of the impact on Florida's tourism industry; the homegrown parimutuel industry, whose 35 percent tax rate contributes to the state's coffers; or the state's compact with the Seminole Indians, which also brings in significant cash. Or of how turning South Florida into a gambling destination on par with Atlantic City could forever alter the state's image and affect its efforts to diversify from a low-paying service economy. Or of how the scheme ultimately would bleed to other parts of the state as Orlando and Tampa Bay seek parity as hotels whine they cannot compete without gambling.

Fortunately, other voices are starting to be heard. The No Casinos group is reforming, and there is burgeoning opposition from the Florida Chamber of Commerce, the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association, Orlando's attractions and even Frank Nero, a former New Jersey county commissioner who is president of Miami-Dade's economic development organization, the Beacon Council. Nero told the Miami Herald earlier this month he now regrets his support of gambling in Atlantic City after seeing the negative economic and social impacts, including an industry that sucked customers and dollars from surrounding businesses and increased prostitution, gambling addiction and organized crime. . . .

See story here.

To up the ante, Genting Group purchased the Miami Herald property last spring from the McClatchy Company, the newspaper's parent owner, paying $236 million in cash for the bayfront building and allowing the paper to remain rent-free at the site for two years. Genting has since gobbled up adjacent property, met with downtown traffic engineers and started assuring local retailers and hotel owners that it wants to work beside them, not in competition, Au said. . . .

The Miami Herald building sits next to the MacArthur Causeway, along Biscayne Bay