|
Cerabino: State endorses casino career as a smart bet
It was hard to get Marsha Lampert excited about the plans to turn South Florida into an East Coast gambling mecca. Lampert, a 48-year-old unemployed single woman with some medical issues, has been living with her parents in Boynton Beach, unable to find a full-time job for more than a year.  Florida Gaming5/19/2012
article
Gambling, telecom bolster lobbying bottom line
(Florida) -- The 2012 legislative session was a good time for lobbyists to know about the rapidly changing telecommunications industry or to hook up with a casino...
5/17/2012
article
BLOG: Up to $2.2 million in lobbyist spending tied to gambling debate
(Florida) -- As debate on a proposal to build three South Florida “destination resorts” heated up, both sides accused the other of spending big bucks on...
article
Florida Gaming generates $14M in revenue after casino opens
(Florida) -- Florida Gaming Corp. boosted its first quarter revenue to $14.4 million following the casino opening at its Miami Jai-Alai facility, but the company...
5/16/2012
article
Up to $1.9 million in lobbyist spending tied to gambling debate
(Florida) -- As debate on a proposal to build three South Florida “destination resorts” heated up, both sides accused the other of spending big bucks on...
5/14/2012
article
Florida Supreme Court Denies Review in Gambling Expansion Case
(Florida) -- The Florida Supreme Court recently denied a request for it to review the Florida Court of Appeal’s determination that a Florida statute is valid even...
article
Roulette is coming to Broward. Just don't call it roulette.
(Florida) -- Underneath a sign reading, "Roulette," 12 gamblers sit at a table and place their bets. Within seconds, a white ball shoots onto a spinning wheel...
5/9/2012
article
Florida casino biz is up
(Florida) -- No doubt about it: South Floridians love to gamble. To prove the point, look at the just-released figures from the American Gaming Association. In South...
article
Racinos up 16 percent in 2011, study says
(Florida) -- With people having more faith in the economy, more places to gamble and a greater willingness to plunk down their money and take a shot, casino gambling has...
5/7/2012
article
Florida Supreme Court Ruling Unlikely to Boost Casino Effort [sub req'd]
(Florida) -- Although a recent state Supreme Court decision opens the door for mega casinos in South Florida, the state’s legislature does not appear any more...
article
OP/ED: Lawmakers need to get gambling under control
(Florida) -- When it comes to gambling policy in Florida, the ball's back in the Legislature's court. In a recent ruling, the state Supreme Court declared that...
5/3/2012
article
Florida Supreme Court ruling could clear way for more slot machines
(Florida) -- In a decision that adds fuel to the debate about expanded gambling, the Florida Supreme Court on April 27 upheld a lower-court ruling that says lawmakers...
article
OP/ED: It's game on for lawmakers
(Florida) -- The ball's back in the Florida Legislature's court, thanks to a major court ruling. The Supreme Court last week put the onus on the state's 160...
5/1/2012
article
Editorial: And the winner in the latest casino race is ...
(Florida) -- Hialeah Park, a rundown horse track once considered the "World's Greatest Race Course," beat some long odds last week when the Florida Supreme...
4/30/2012
article
Palm Beach County asks judge to toss suit that would prevent slot machine vote
(Florida) -- Palm Beach County lawyers are asking a judge to toss a lawsuit challenging a November referendum about whether slots should be allowed at the Palm Beach...
article
Gambling bill writers need dictionary
(Florida) -- Expansion. Say it with me now. Expaaaaaansion. It almost sounds like what it means. And here is the dictionary definition: [ik-span'-shuhn] "......
4/28/2012
article
Fla. Supreme Court says Legislature can OK slots
(Florida) -- The Florida Supreme Court effectively ruled Friday that slot machines can be allowed anywhere in the state. The high court let stand a lower court ruling...
article
State's top court empowers lawmakers to expand gambling anywhere in Florida
(Florida) -- Florida's highest court on Friday cleared the way for lawmakers to expand gambling anywhere in the state, whether by putting slot machines in more...
4/27/2012
article
Court upholds Hialeah's slot machines, last chance blow to competitors
(Florida) -- The Florida Supreme Court on Friday quietly upheld a lower court ruling allowing Hialeah Racetrack to offer slot machines.
article
Hialeah Park cleared for slots by Florida Supreme Court
(Florida) -- Hialeah Park has been cleared to install slot machines after the Florida Supreme Court dismissed a case on Friday to block slots at the track.
article
Hialeah Park makes it across ‘slots’ finish line
(Florida) -- Hialeah Park’s planned resurrection as a slot machine “racino” took a giant step forward Friday after the Florida Supreme Court tossed out...
article
Ruling could pave way for more slot machines
(Florida) -- In a decision that adds fuel to the debate about expanded gambling, the Florida Supreme Court on Friday upheld a lower-court ruling that says lawmakers can...
article
Supreme Court declines to hear Hialeah case
(Florida) -- Hialeah Racetrack can proceed with slots, destination casino proponents still have a shot and one hurdle toward slot pandemonium across the state has been...
article
All eyes now on Palm Beach County case for slot machines decision
(Florida) -- A Florida Supreme Court decision Friday to stay out of a controversial gambling debate paved the way for Palm Beach County's November slot machine...
4/25/2012
article
Gaming Executives Push for Casinos in Florida
(Florida) -- This year's legislative session brought Las Vegas gaming executives to the Florida Capitol. They spent months and millions of dollars trying to convince...
4/23/2012
article
Chamber vows aggressive fight against casinos
(Florida) -- The Florida Chamber of Commerce played a big role in killing the expansion of casino gambling in Florida in the last legislative session.
4/22/2012
article
Overhaul of Lake Worth beach casino building nearly complete
(Florida) -- The city's casino building is "substantially" complete, creating a new look for Lake Worth Beach that catches the eyes of drivers headed east...
4/19/2012
article
Gambling Proponents Plan for Referendum on Vegas-Style Casinos
(Florida) -- After striking out in the Florida Legislature this spring, gambling interests appear to be taking steps to seek direct approval from the state's voters...
4/18/2012
article
Gambling's new political committee causes stir
(Florida) -- The creation of a political action committee with the goal of a ballot initiative on gaming and recent political contributions from gambling interests have...
4/17/2012
article
Casino Advocates Eye Referendum In Florida [sub req'd]
(Florida) -- Despite exiting meekly in February, gambling interests in Florida are gearing up for another campaign which could include a referendum in 2014 to allow...
article
Gambling proponents start to plan for referendum on Vegas-style casinos in South Florida
(Florida) -- After striking out in the Florida Legislature this spring, gambling interests appear to be taking steps to seek direct approval from the state's voters...
4/13/2012
article
Casinos on the 2014 ballot? Political committee lays the groundwork
(Florida) -- After failing to persuade the Florida Legislature to pass a bill to open South Florida to mega resort casinos, gambling interests have taken the first steps...
4/12/2012
article
Isle marks 5 years on Saturday
(Florida) -- Five years? Already? Well, The Isle Casino and Racing in Pompano Beach is marking its five-year anniversary this month, with a Hyundai Sonata giveaway every...
4/11/2012
article
Hamilton County voters take a chance on slots
(Florida) -- Hamilton County on Tuesday became the third North Florida county to approve allowing slot machines at pari-mutuel facilities --- though it is unclear...
article
State party fundraising modest, but pumped up by casino battle
(Florida) -- The Florida Republican and Democratic parties' latest reports show modest fundraising totals for the opening quarter of this presidential election year...
4/9/2012
article
Voters To Decide Whether To Allow Slot Machines In Hamilton County
(Florida) -- A new horse track is under construction now, but if voters allow it, a casino will be quickly be following behind.
3/31/2012
article
Editorial: Casino drive premature
(Florida) -- The people have spoken, sort of. The failure of a pro-casino group to gather enough certifiable signatures in time on a petition for a referendum on the...
3/29/2012
article
Signature snag doesn't detour casino push in Lee County
(Florida) -- Backers of casino gambling in Lee County are not folding despite failing to get the required number of signatures to put the measure on the Nov. 6 ballot.
article
Pro-Casino Effort Falls Short of Ballot in Lee County
(Florida) -- The political committee that wanted residents in Lee County to vote on casino gambling fell short of getting the issue on the November 6 ballot.
3/28/2012
article
Lee County casino-resort petition drive fails
(Florida) -- A petition drive to get a gambling initiative on the Lee County ballot in November has failed, according to Lee County Supervisor of Elections Sharon...
3/27/2012
article
Boca woman sues Palm Beach County to take slots vote off November ballot
(Florida) -- A Boca Raton woman has filed a lawsuit asking a judge to take a slot machine referendum off the November ballot in Palm Beach County because she believes it...
3/26/2012
article
Slots referendum / Early voting begins March 31
(Florida) -- A special referendum election will be held in Hamilton County on April 10 asking voters to approve or reject a slot machine wagering license. All Hamilton...
3/18/2012
article
Florida lawyers hit jackpot in representing gaming industry
(Florida) -- Just last month, Florida’s lawmakers put legislation to legalize destination resort gambling on hold. But even without the mega-casinos, Florida...
3/6/2012
article
No referendum, no racino, Vandeveer, Dettmer insist
(Minnesota) -- There will be no local legislative support for racino at Running Aces Harness Park in Columbus unless residents of Columbus and Forest Lake vote on the...
3/1/2012
article
Hialeah Park Pushes Tallahassee For Slot Machines, Thoroughbred Races
(Florida) -- Less than one month since a bill that would have paved the way for three destination casino resorts in South Florida died in Tallahasee, the owner of...
2/29/2012
article
Destination casinos only a matter of time, analysts say
(Florida) -- Like it or not, destination casinos will become a reality in South Florida within the next three to five years, gambling-industry experts said Tuesday. To...
article
Analysts: Destination casinos only a matter of time
(Florida) -- Like it or not, destination casinos will become a reality in South Florida within the next three to five years, gambling-industry experts said Tuesday. To...
article
Experts still expect destination resorts
(Florida) -- Officials with Genting Group may have pushed too hard to get destination gambling resort legislation passed this year, but the fight is far from over,...
article
Gambling leaders talk about moving forward in Florida
(Florida) -- The gambling industry needs to stop fighting among itself and join forces to get full-scale resort casinos approved in Florida.
article
New building for slots on hold at Hialeah Park
(Florida) -- Hialeah Park president John Brunetti is changing the plan to add slots at his racetrack. Hialeah Park broke ground last fall for a building to house slot...
2/24/2012
article
Bill would let dog track, fronton move
(Florida) -- An amendment to a Florida House bill would allow movement of a greyhound racing permit or a dog racing permit to another county without a vote by residents.
2/22/2012
article
COLUMN: No destination casinos in Florida in 2012
(Florida) -- The destination casino bill was put to rest in the Florida House of Representatives Subcommittee on Business and Consumer Affairs last month. Though a vote...
2/20/2012
article
Art world speaks up against destination casinos
(Florida) -- The destination casino battle is over in Tallahassee for the year, but those speaking out against them are still rolling along. Hence, a "Make Art, Not...
article
Officials: Little Crime Associated With Casinos
(Florida) -- Anti-casino groups claim casinos and crime go hand-in-hand. “Crime rates in case of communities to be 84 percent higher than the nationwide average,...
2/19/2012
article
STUTZ: Supporters of Florida casino expansion promise to fight on
(Florida) -- Supporters of legislation that could land three destination-style casinos in South Florida weren't overly disappointed Feb. 3 when state lawmakers...
article
Casinos at the crossroads: 7 key moments marked historic debate
(Florida) -- Colin Au paced the polished marble floors of Miami’s fanciest hotel, waiting for the go-ahead to jumpstart a lavish development plan already on a fast...
article
Estimates for Lake Worth Beach work come in $2.7 million more than expected
(Florida) -- The city staff presented a $13.7 million final budget to commissioners Friday for the beach-site and casino work at Lake Worth Beach, $2.7 million more than...
2/16/2012
article
Hialeah Park: Flash point for state's gambling mess
(Florida) -- Hialeah Park is reveling in its rebirth, but the racetrack with the pink flamingos has caused a mess across the state. When its quarter-horse season ends...
2/15/2012
article
Companies, interests, spend $127 million to lobby lawmakers
(Florida) -- They are waging multi-year campaigns to build billion-dollar casinos, get their tax bills reduced, break into the renewable energy business, and fight over...
article
Gaming Supporters, Opponents Gave $2.7 Million to Legislators
(Florida) -- Businesses, unions and professional associations that lobby state legislators spent $127 million last year, up from $116 million in 2010, according to the...
article
Sands pulls back its Miami casino bid, criticizes Disney, Genting
(Florida) -- When Malaysia's Genting Group took the lead in the push to bring mega-casinos to Miami, Las Vegas Sands Corp. was in the background, planning and...
2/14/2012
article
Company gathers signatures in support of Fort Myers casino
(Florida) -- A company hoping to build a casino in Fort Myers turned in 27,000 petitions today to get a gambling referendum on the ballot in Lee County in November.
2/12/2012
article
Column: Council jumps at fast, fast, fast approval for slots vote
(Florida) -- Volusia County will be voting on slot machines this November. Or not. The slots will be at the Daytona Beach Kennel Club exclusively. Or maybe elsewhere.
article
Youngstown aims to be Sin City
(Florida) -- On Jan. 12, I read Tom Becnel, owner of Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort, came out the gate with an upscale "gaming" strategy catering to fancy...
2/11/2012
article
Casino bill is dealt a blow, but supporters will fight on
(Pennsylvania) -- States tend to mull over gambling bills for years. It took 15 years for slot-machine gambling to be green-lighted in Pennsylvania, with table games...
2/10/2012
article
OP/ED: No casinos for now, what then?
(Florida) -- It may be more of a suspension than surrender, but at least for now the proposal for mega casinos in Florida is off the table.
article
Palm Beach County rolling dice on slot referendum
(Florida) -- Crapping out in the Florida Legislature doesn't mean Palm Beach County plans to stop gambling on slot machines.
2/9/2012
article
Florida Senate chief still pushing for casino vote
(Florida) -- Senate President Mike Haridopolos wants his chamber to continue considering a casino resort bill although a companion measure is stalled in the House.
article
Recess bells, not slot machines, ring in Tallahassee
(Florida) -- The story below made the Miami Herald business section Monday with all of two opinions raised at this writing (http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/02/06/2628176...
article
State Senate chief still pushing for casino vote
(Florida) -- The Florida Senate will continue to consider a casino resort bill, even though the campaign bill is stalled in the state House. Senate President Mike...
article
Volusia council votes to put slots on November ballot
(Florida) -- A voter referendum on whether to allow slot machines in Volusia County is headed for the November ballot, the County Council decided in a narrow vote this...
2/8/2012
article
ETG Bill Flops In Florida
(Florida) -- An effort to restrict expansion of electronic table games at Florida’s pari-mutuel facilities appears dead after a bill was rejected by a crucial...
article
Hot slots issue likely delayed until April
(Florida) -- The slot-machine debate that put last week's Volusia County Council meeting into a tactical weeklong recess appears headed for another delay today -- as...
article
Sen Prez: House ‘led some folks on’ in gambling debate; Internet cafe issue in question
(Florida) -- Senate President Mike Haridopolos said Wednesday that it was the House’s “choice” to kill a destination casino resort bill, but that they...
2/7/2012
article
Senate panel rejects slot restrictions
(Florida) -- An effort to prevent the introduction of next generation slot machines – which look more like casino games - at racetracks around the state was shot...
2/6/2012
article
Casino bill pulled in face of opposition
(Florida) -- A controversial bill to allow mega-resort casinos in Florida appears dead this year, after the House sponsor scrapped a vote Friday by a subcommittee that...
article
COMMENTARY: Florida and Casino Gambling -- Not While Disney’s Here
(Florida) -- Another proposed casino gambling bill, this one promising 100,000 new jobs in Florida's troubling economy, failed to pass its first hurdle Friday,...
article
Conservatives Warn Casino Bill Could Return in 2013
(Florida) -- Social conservatives continue to cheer the fact that Rep. Erik Fresen, R-Miami, pulled his bill in the Florida House that would open the Sunshine State to...
article
EDITORIAL: Indecision roulette
(Florida) -- Faced with a political hot potato in the form of legislation allowing Las Vegas-style casinos in Florida, lawmakers in Tallahassee did what they usually do...
article
Florida Casino Bill Dead For 2012 [sub req'd]
(Florida) -- This year’s effort to legalize as many as three destination resort casinos in Florida died Friday when the chief advocate in the House sought and...
article
How a dream to transform Florida into `Vegas of the East' fell apart
(Florida) -- It could be said the destination casino bill was doomed from the start. It had major opponents in the Florida Chamber and Walt Disney World. Social...
article
Slots referenda approved in two counties while others set Nov. votes
(Florida) -- Voters in two north Florida counties approved measures Jan. 31 that may allow slot machine permits at pari-mutuel facilities in the counties.
article
House leader says casino bill ‘dead for this year’
(Florida) -- As the Legislature moves towards its half-way point in the 60-day session, a controversial bill to permit three “destination resort” casinos...
2/5/2012
article
A step-by-step guide to the surprise slots vote
(Florida) -- You may be wondering how a referendum on slot machines in Volusia County appeared out of nowhere last week and landed in front of the County Council.
article
According to Professor John Kindt, It Is Destructive -- Always and WIthout Exception
(Florida) -- According to John Warren Kindt, a professor of business and legal policy at the University of Illinois, the City of Miami will experience a burst of...
article
Casino Presses Ahead in Florida [sub req'd]
(Florida) -- Gambling companies hoping to crack the South Florida market are regrouping after a bill to authorize three casinos in Miami-Dade and Broward Counties...
article
Rep. Aubuchon from Cape Coral helps sink casinos
(Florida) -- As chairman of the House Rules Committee, Rep. Gary Aubuchon, R-Cape Coral, is the second most powerful member of the House behind Speaker Dean Cannon.
article
Florida and Casino Gambling -- Not While Disney’s Here
(Florida) -- Another proposed casino gambling bill, this one promising 100,000 new jobs in Florida's troubling economy, failed to pass its first hurdle Friday,...
article
Florida Destination Casino Bill Withdrawn From House Subcommitte
(Florida) -- A piece of legislation that would authorize three new resort-style casinos in Florida has been withdrawn before a House subcommittee could hold their vote.
2/4/2012
article
Casinos in Florida - It's a Dead Issue This Year
(Florida) -- The effort to bring three mega resort casinos to South Florida is dead for the 2012 legislative session. The house bill was pulled from committee just...
article
Casinos in limbo, but the issue has changed landscape
(Florida) -- The bill to bring casino gambling to South Florida may be dead for now, but the issue has reshaped the region’s business landscape in ways likely to...
article
Florida House blocks casino bill; Senator sponsor calls it dead
(Florida) -- A state House panel sidelined a controversial casino bill Friday, striking a blow to the gaming industry's latest efforts to build three major new...
article
Florida’s Casino Bill “Dead for This Year”
(Florida) -- A controversial bill to allow mega-resort casinos in Florida appears dead this year, after the House sponsor scrapped a vote Friday by a subcommittee that...
article
OP/ED: Gambling war may be over, but skirmishes linger
(Florida) -- Ever read a history of the confounding relationships, intricate strategies, shifting coalitions, mighty egos and stunning miscalculations that led to the...
article
OP/ED: Urban Miami doesn’t need a casino
(Florida) -- Forty-three years ago, I started Goldman Properties in New York City with a mission to preserve and restore depressed architecturally historic communities.
2/3/2012
article
As bill dies, future of mega-casinos remains uncertain
(Florida) -- A statewide television ad campaign, glitzy architectural renderings — even the promise of thousands of jobs — couldn’t change the...
article
Casino Bill Dies in Florida House
(Florida) -- If you were a betting man, hopefully you were betting that a bill to bring three full-service, Las Vegas-style casinos to South Florida wouldn't pass...
article
Casino Expansion Stalls in Florida House
(Florida) -- A bill (HB 487) that would have expanded casino gambling to include Vegas-style resorts stalled in committee yesterday, in a delay that will likely prevent...
article
Casino gambling fizzles — dead for 2012
(Florida) -- The drive to bring resort casinos to South Florida fizzled Friday, with the House sponsor of the measure effectively abandoning the proposal for this year.
article
Casinos killed on House floor
(Florida) -- A bill that would have authorized three mega-casinos in Florida and changed dozens of other gambling rules is dead. “As long as I am the chairman of...
article
Destination casino bill is dead for this year
(Florida) -- Attempts to bring destination casinos to Florida are dead – at least for now. A House committee debate on the proposal to bring three high-end casino...
article
Florida casino gambling bill 'dead for this year,' House Rules chair says
(Florida) -- The push to bring resort casinos to South Florida fizzled Friday, with the House sponsor of the measure abandoning the multibillion-dollar proposal for this...
article
Florida casino gambling bill appears dead for 2012
(Florida) -- A proposal to substantially expand gambling in Florida appeared dead on Friday as the sponsor of a destination resort bill pulled the measure from...
article
Florida casino gambling bill is dead for 2012
(Florida) -- A bill that would have ushered in the largest gambling expansion in Florida history was withdrawn by its legislative sponsor on Friday, killing for now the...
article
Florida House blocks casino bill, delay likely dooms proposal
(Florida) -- Florida lawmakers are rejecting a plan to bring three major casinos to South Florida. A House panel on Friday postponed a vote on a bill that would have...
article
Florida Mega-Casino Bill Is Withdrawn
(Florida) -- The richly financed push to bring three mega-casinos to South Florida fizzled in the Legislature on Friday, defeated for the time being by mounting...
article
Gaming bill's demise isn't stopping developers of FM casino
(Florida) -- Plans to turn Florida into an East Coast gambling destination are on hold. A bill aimed at expanding gaming resorts in the state died in the House today.
article
House blocks casinos bill
(Florida) -- The push to transform Florida into an East Coast version of Las Vegas fell apart on Friday after state legislators rejected a plan to bring three major...
article
OP/ED: Mega-casino gambling is dead – or is it?
(Florida) -- Time to exhale, at least a little, and take down names. The powerful forces conspiring to bring large-scale casino gambling to South Florida —...
article
Reactions mixed after Fla. casino bill dies
(Florida) -- The bill authorizing three destination resort casinos in South Florida abruptly died in a House of Representatives subcommittee Friday morning when the bill...
article
Casino bill all but dead after House committee postpones vote
(Florida) -- Florida’s resort casino debate has folded for the session. After a lengthy debate, the House Business and Consumer Affairs and subcommittee stopped...
article
Casino Opponents See Next Battle Coming over State Constitution
(Florida) -- Opponents of the effort to expand casino gaming in Florida declared victory Friday, but anticipate they will next have to fend off an effort to put gambling...
article
Casinos in limbo, but the issue has changed landscape
(Florida) -- The bill to bring casino gambling to South Florida may be dead for now, but the issue has reshaped the region’s business landscape in ways likely to...
article
Charles de Garmo: As Florida thinks about gambling, Pequot-Foxwoods story comes to mind
(Florida) -- All this talk about casinos in Florida got me thinking about another "can't make this up if you tried" event: creation of Foxwoods Casino and...
2/2/2012
article
Casino bill appears headed for House defeat
(Florida) -- A bill that could bring three mega resort casinos to South Florida appeared doomed in the House Thursday, as backers struggled to cobble together a minimum...
article
Casino opponents: Gambling would lead to more crime
(Florida) -- Allowing resort casinos in Miami-Dade County would lead to a spike in crime — from rapes to burglaries — an anti-gaming group charged on...
article
Comparison of House and Senate gambling bills
(Florida) -- The House released its version of a gambling proposal, slated for its first committee vote tomorrow, that opens the door casinos in what could be a...
article
Destination casino bill faces big test today
(Florida) -- Today is a do-or-die day for destination gambling in Florida. The House Business and Consumer Affairs Subcommittee will take up the HB 487 – a...
article
Do more casinos mean more crime?
(Florida) -- Local 10 already debunked the statement made by casino advocates that the jobs created through the expansion of gambling would reduce what is said to be...
article
Florida House, Senate gambling bills roll the dice
(Florida) -- The House version of a gambling proposal is slated for its first committee vote Friday, opening the door to casinos in what could be a permanent game-...
article
Fresen releases casino amendment for Friday show-down
(Florida) -- Casino photoIt’s D-Day on Friday for casino gambling in Florida. The bill to bring three resort casinos to South Florida gets its first – and...
article
House gambling bill ditches gaming commission model
(Florida) -- A long anticipated rewrite of the House’s destination casino resort bill is out with some major changes.
article
Legislative showdown set on casino plan
(Florida) -- A bill that could bring three mega resort casinos to South Florida appeared doomed in the House on Thursday as backers struggled to cobble together a...
article
New bill would allow South Florida casinos, slots at dog tracks
(Florida) -- A key test for casino gambling in Florida, a House subcommittee Friday will take up a revised bill that would allow up to three resort casinos in Miami-Dade...
article
OP/ED: Newest deal still a bad deal
(Florida) -- The Florida Senate might be ready to go all in on casino gambling, but the House is looking at a more cautious bet. It still would be a bad deal for the...
article
Proposed Vegas-style casinos in Florida face key vote
(Florida) -- Reworked legislation that could bring three Las Vegas-style hotel-casinos to South Florida will face a crucial vote today in a state House panel that could...
article
South Florida gambling plans head for trouble
(Florida) -- A controversial plan to massively expand gambling in South Florida appears headed for more trouble as the House and Senate move in opposite directions.
article
TRUJILLO: Why I will vote against casinos
(Florida) -- Ten years ago, few could have predicted that Midtown Miami would be home to some of finest restaurants in the United States, that the Design District would...
article
Bruno calls long recess as Volusia mulls slot-machine debate
(Florida) -- The Volusia County Council took the unorthodox step of declaring a weeklong recess at today's meeting in an effort to prolong a discussion on whether...
article
Volusia council takes 'time-out' on slots referendum decision
(Florida) -- Faced with the prospect of a sudden vote on a gambling debate, Volusia County Chair Frank Bruno skirted the deadline in a new state Senate proposal Thursday...
article
Volusia County officials delay decision on slot machine vote
(Florida) -- The Volusia County Council decided to hold off on deciding if they want a referendum on the question of slot machines in county pari-mutuels, places where...
article
Casino debate continues in light of $150M expansion
(Florida) -- One local casino is expecting its multimillion-dollar expansion to be a huge success, while other South Florida communities consider taking a gamble on...
2/1/2012
article
Anti-Casino Group Study: Mega Casinos Will Cause Crime Spike
(Florida) -- If craps tables and roulette wheels come to South Florida crime will spin out of control. That was the claim of casino opponents who released a scientific...
article
LETTER: Casinos create positives with many economic factors
(Florida) -- In answer to Jody Boden’s Jan. 20 letter about Reno casinos and her comments on them causing problem, etc. I lived near Atlantic City, New Jersey, for...
article
My Word: By any other name, it's still gambling
(Florida) -- Imagine that you are a member of the Florida Legislature. Representatives of a powerful special-interest group want you to vote for an idea that would allow...
article
New Poll Finds Floridians Split on Expanded Gambling
(Florida) -- A new public opinion survey by the Miami Herald and Tampa Bay Times finds Florida voters are divided on whether they want full-service, Las Vegas style,...
article
Would Casinos Hurt Miami's Art Scene?
(Florida) -- Like a handful of similarly cash-strapped states, Florida is currently considering legislation to greatly expand gambling there. In part thanks to...
article
Magic City Casino tops $1 billion a year in slots play
(Florida) -- It's about 2 p.m. on a Friday. For much of Miami, the work week is winding down. But it feels like the weekend is already getting started at Magic City...
article
Obstacles remain before Ebro gets slots
(Florida) -- The owner of Ebro Greyhound Park won the support of Washington County voters for the addition of slot machines at the pari-mutuel wagering facility, but now...
article
North Florida counties approve slots but court battle awaits
(Florida) -- Voters in the rural counties of Gadsden and Washington became the first in the state to agree to install slot machines outside of Miami-Dade and Broward on...
article
Voters Approve Slots in Washington and Gadsden Counties
(Florida) -- For the first time a majority of voters here in the panhandle have approved what most consider a form of casino gambling. Voters in two counties passed...
1/31/2012
article
Letter: Ridiculous arguments used to limit casino gambling in Florida
(Florida) -- My response to Helga Swanson's Jan. 18 letter is, "So what?" Legalizing casinos will not make more "addicts," and banning them will...
article
Hialeah Park, Florida's greatest racetrack, battles mega-casinos and lawsuits
(Florida) -- The sky is a surreal blend of purple and orange as dusk settles over Hialeah Park. Pink flamingos, forever memorialized in the opening credits of Miami Vice...
article
Volusia County Council to consider slot-machine vote
(Florida) -- A countywide vote on slot machines could be in Volusia's future this year, thanks to a recent change in a Senate proposal that's pushing counties to...
article
Voters approve slot machines in two rural counties, but legal battle looms
(Florida) -- Voters in the rural counties of Gadsden and Washington became the first in the state Tuesday to agree to install slot machines outside of Miami-Dade and...
article
Voters in Gadsden County weighing in on slot machines today
(Florida) -- No matter what happens in Gadsden and Washington County today, Gov. Rick Scott said today the state won't issue slot machine licenses for casinos in...
1/30/2012
article
Florida voters want to decide future of casinos, Times/Herald/Bay News 9 Poll shows
(Florida) -- Florida voters aren't sure if they want Las Vegas-style casinos in the state, but they are certain they don't want Tallahassee to make the decision...
article
Panhandle counties vote if slot machine referendums go on ballot
(Florida) -- Two Florida Panhandle counties are voting on whether to permit slot machines as part of Tuesday's presidential primary ballot. A Tampa Bay Times and...
article
Poll: Floridians want referendum to decide on Las Vegas-style casino bill
(Florida) -- Floridians are divided on a GOP-sponsored bill that would expand gambling to allow Las Vegas-style casinos or destination resorts in South Florida, but most...
1/29/2012
article
Florida Decides Poll: Voters want say in expanding gambling
(Florida) -- The battle over expanding Las Vegas style casino gambling in Florida is up for debate again, and according to a Florida Decides poll, voters say they want...
article
Poll: Let voters — not lawmakers —decide future of casinos in Florida
(Florida) -- Florida voters aren’t sure if they want Las Vegas-style casinos in the state, but they are certain they don’t want Tallahassee to make the...
article
Voters to decide Ebro slots' fate
(Florida) -- When they go to the polls, Washington County voters will be asked to decide whether they support allowing slot machines at Ebro Greyhound Park. But, those...
1/28/2012
article
New Bill Could Change Greyhound Racing in FL
(Florida) -- Greyhounds have raced along these tracks at Jefferson County Kennel Club for over 50 years. But new bills moving through the Florida legislature may change...
article
Sandestin casino plan: Know when to fold ‘em …
(Florida) -- Just because Sandestin has put its casino on hold, don’t bet the ranch on its demise. Proponents claim we will hit the trifecta: Increased jobs,...
1/27/2012
article
Hispanic Chamber endorses casino resorts
(Florida) -- The South Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce announced conditional support of bringing casino resorts to Miami-Dade County.
article
Would casino mega resort hurt existing Miami restaurants and shops? Opinion is split
(Florida) -- Joe’s Stone Crab owner Steve Sawitz distinctly recalls his grandfather’s admonitions decades ago against bring casino gambling to Miami. The...
article
Sandestin's Casino Concept Put on Hold
(Florida) -- Due to a lack of support by Sandestin homeowners, Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort owner Tom Becnel is no longer moving forward with conceptual plans for a...
1/26/2012
article
Scott Maxwell: Ben Stein's casino ad treats voters like chumps
(Florida) -- We're kicking off today's Friday Files with a look at the new TV ad from the pro-casino folks. Gambling's newest ally is actor, comedian and...
article
Senate committee votes to tighten parimutuel loopholes and free the racing dogs
(Florida) -- For the second year in a row, the Senate Regulated Industries Committee narrowly approved a bill to allow Florida's 16 remaining dog tracks to stop...
article
Slots Vote Could Influence the Legislature's Expanded Gaming Decision
(Florida) -- In addition to picking a Presidential candidate next Tuesday, voters in two northwest Florida counties will vote on whether to allow slot machines at dog...
1/25/2012
article
Chamber launches new anti-gambling ad, mocking pro-casino's Ben Stein
(Florida) -- Pivoting off the pro-casino ad featuring actor and businessman Ben Stein, the Florida Chamber-backed Coalition to Stop the Bad Bet for Florida unveiled a...
article
Miami lawmaker gets spoofed into calls on casino bill
(Florida) -- A pro-casino group called hundreds of constituents of Miami Rep. Carlos Trujillo last week using the caller ID of of the Miami Republican's Tallahassee...
article
$87M Casino Miami Jai-Alai opens late today, offers 350 jobs
(Florida) -- Casino Miami Jai-Alai, an $87 million casino expansion of Miami Jai-Alai, is slated to open to the public late Wednesday afternoon, after a ribbon cutting.
article
Casino Miami grand opening is today
(Florida) -- The $87 million expansion to Miami Jai-Alai is complete, and the grand opening is today. It will be called Casino Miami Jai-Alai and include 1,050 slot...
article
Casino Miami Jai-Alai gets rolling
(Florida) -- An $87 million finance deal and a seven-month rush project has brought another 1,050 slot machines inMiami-Dade County— and hope for what some...
1/24/2012
article
Commissioners take a gamble on slot machines
(Florida) -- Lee County residents may have a say regarding slot machines in November. Lee County Commissioners are moving forward with plans to have the issue on...
article
Ebro Greyhound Park Pledges Schools a Share of Potential Slots Revenue
(Florida) -- Ebro Greyhound Park has delivered a letter of intent to Washington County Schools, promising the schools a share of revenue should voters approve slot...
article
Local Ministers Take a Stand Against Gambling
(Florida) -- This time next week voters in Gadsden county will be heading to the polls to decide if they want slot machines in their county, but there is opposition to...
article
Miami-Dade Voters Divided Over Vegas Style Casino Gambling
(Florida) -- As the bill to expand casino gambling in Florida continues its uphill climb in the state Legislature, a new poll shows Miami-Dade voters sharply divided...
article
Slots or not? Ballot to survey Brevard
(Florida) -- Melbourne Greyhound Park officials are gambling that a November countywide voter referendum may eventually allow Las Vegas-style slot machines at their...
article
Vote OKs referendum on slots in Brevard County
(Florida) -- The Brevard County Commission has decided to place a referendum on the November general election ballot that could — eventually — authorize slot...
1/23/2012
article
LV Sands: Fresen's proposed amendments make casino bill 'less appealing'
(Florida) -- The effort to find a politically palatable compromise that will get a destination resort casino bill through the House may have found its first casualty:...
article
Miami-Dade Voters Divided Over Vegas Style Casino Gambling
(Florida) -- As the bill to expand casino gambling in Florida continues its uphill climb in the state Legislature, a new poll shows Miami-Dade voters sharply divided...
article
Poll: Miami-Dade On The Fence For Gambling, Gloomy About The Economy
(Florida) -- South Florida voters are sitting straight on the fence on the issue of resort casino gambling, and is gloomy about the local economy, according to a poll...
article
Sandestin Residents Vote Against Proposed Casino Plans
(Florida) -- Panhandle communities are taking sides on the destination resort casino bill that would create three 'super casinos' in South Florida. Last week,...
article
Two legislators unite to control gambling
(Florida) -- The two lawmakers pushing a game-changing gambling bill — which one critic calls the "biggest expansion of gambling in state history"...
1/22/2012
article
Editorial: Senate gambling bill not remotely acceptable
(Florida) -- The Florida Legislature’s evolving measures on gambling grew into an even more unacceptable monster this month in the Senate version.
article
LETTER: Expansion of gambling in Florida will bring problems
(Florida) -- The State of Florida is getting ready to make a bad bet if they approve the expansion of casino gambling. The short-term revenues hide a long-term cost that...
article
OP/ED: Byron Dobson: Pastors see high cost in gambling
(Florida) -- For the sliver of a town that Gretna is in nearby Gadsden County, it's certainly getting its share of attention. That spotlight is not necessarily aimed...
article
Poll: Miami-Dade voters evenly split on casinos, but opposition growing
(Florida) -- Miami-Dade voters are evenly divided on whether to allow casino gambling in South Florida, but opposition appears to be growing even as the Legislature...
article
Lee commissioners to weigh Bonita council's request for slots referendum
(Florida) -- The city of Bonita Springs has an interest in seeing slot machines added to the gambling repertoire at the Naples Fort Myers Greyhound Track.
1/21/2012
article
Slots in Bonita?
(Florida) -- Lee County commissioners are expected to start discussing the possibility of holding a November referendum that would allow Las Vegas-style slot machines at...
1/20/2012
article
Proposed changes in State House Casino Bill to Reduce Gambling
(Florida) -- A Florida House sponsored bill that proposes to allow into the state three major resort casinos has been revealed through a series of amendments this week...
article
South Florida Tea Party announces support for GOP casino bill
(Florida) -- Everett Wilkinson, chairman of the South Florida Tea Party and state coordinator for the Florida Tea Party, this week announced his support for the casino...
1/19/2012
article
Christians put pressure on Florida pols to reject casino bill
(Florida) -- A contentious battle for the soul of Florida is being waged in Tallahassee over the controversial senate bill 710. The bill proposes to allow extended...
article
Editorial: Slow it down
(Florida) -- Reconciling Senate and House versions of the casino bill in the Legislature just became harder. Maybe impossible. The once-matching bills have been amended...
article
Guest editorial: Casino bill not right for Florida
(Florida) -- This session, there will be many issues discussed by the Florida Legislature, and while reapportionment and the budget will undoubtedly be the two most...
article
No Casinos group launches latest TV spot
(Florida) -- Anti gambling group No Casinos launched its latest ad slamming the destination casino proposal. The ad points out Nevada's high rates of crime, divorce...
article
VIDEO: Casino debate rages in Legislature, on TV
(Florida) -- The South Florida casino bill that passed its first vote in the Florida House of Representative last week has prompted bills that regulate other gaming...
article
Ebro Slot Supporters Present County an Incentive Deal
(Florida) -- Ebro owners called a new conference Thursday to announce an agreement with the county over sharing revenue from slot machines granted they pass in a...
article
Lake Worth approves casino leases, then rescinds two of them in early-morning vote
(Florida) -- After approving three leases for the casino building at Lake Worth Beach on Tuesday night, then rescinding two of them early Wednesday, commissioners are...
article
NEWELL: Sandestin casino: Development gone haywire
(Florida) -- Speaking as a young person, I am extremely appalled at even the thought of establishing a resort casino in our town. What have we come to when we don’...
article
Opponents to Expanded Gambling Speak
(Florida) -- Opponents to expanded gambling at Ebro Greyhound Park tried to rally support Thursday against a public referendum coming up in less than two weeks. They say...
1/18/2012
article
Fla. could soon have more casinos
(Florida) -- Expanding gambling is one of the biggest controversies of this election year and it's playing out right here in Florida. Right now there are several...
article
Fort Lauderdale says no to casinos
(Florida) -- The city of Fort Lauderdale does not want to gamble on destination casinos. Mayor Jack Seiler and city commissioners voted Tuesday night to unanimously pass...
article
House casino bill sponsor proposes changes to reduce gambling options
(Florida) -- The House sponsor of the bill to bring three mega-resort casinos to Florida unveiled a series of amendments Wednesday to make the measure more palatable to...
article
OP/ED: Florida Casino Bill: Gambling Grabs For More
(Florida) -- There is one sure bet about gambling in Florida: The house always wants more. The latest example involves a bill that initially called for allowing the...
1/17/2012
article
OP/ED: Safe bet on gambling
(Florida) -- There is one sure bet about gambling in Florida: The house always wants more. The latest example involves a bill that initially called for allowing the...
1/16/2012
article
Casino bill is not just about South Florida
(Florida) -- Backers of a controversial plan to bring high-end destination-casino resorts to Florida initially billed it as a way to limit gambling in the state. But the...
article
Hotel CEO says Miami mega-casino plan's a bad idea
(Florida) -- If a developer succeeds in building a massive, Las Vegas style casino resort in Miami, it would spell trouble for Miami's existing hotels, the Miami...
article
Mega-casino legislation getting push back from local outfits
(Florida) -- Political discussions about expanding casinos in Florida are being met with opposition from local dog tracks and slot arcades that fear a big player would...
|
visionary sponsor advertisementMost Popular Storiessponsor advertisement |