Ft. Lauderdale Legislator Wants Resort Casinos in Florida
A state Representative from Ft. Lauderdale says Florida's proposed gaming compact excludes too many options, and she'd like to license destination casinos for the state's beaches and coasts. Ellyn Bogdanoff says the contract negotiated between Governor Charlie Crist and the Seminole Tribe gives too much exclusivity to tribal casinos, and she'd like to see gambling opened up to bring Florida maximum revenue, jobs, and tourism.Bogdanoff told the Sun-Sentinel that she wants to create a Florida Gaming Commission to oversee rapidly expanding gaming in the state and give policy a sense of direction. The lawmaker says her state is already one of the US's biggest gambling states, and needs to regulate the industry accordingly.
“Right now, we have all this gambling and we’re getting no revenue from it,” Bogdanoff stated.
The current gaming measure would give Seminole casinos exclusive rights to table games in the state, and to Class III slots in Florida other than at Broward and Dade racinos. But Bogdanoff wants to allow table games anywhere that is licensed for slots, as well as creating new licenses.
“Once you’re in the building and you’re gambling, I don’t care what you do," said Bogdanoff of adding new games at existing facilities. “As far as I’m concerned, baccarat, blackjack, roulette, craps – what the heck is the difference?”
As for building first-class resort casinos to rival the Bellagio, Bogdanoff said, "“There’s one place that could compete with Las Vegas: South Florida.”
