Jan 30, 2008 8:15 am US/Eastern
Miami-Dade's Slots Are A Sure Bet
This Is The Second Time Miami-Dade Goes To The Polls For Slots
MIAMI (CBS4) ―
Supporters of adding Vegas-style slot machines at Miami-Dade's race tracks were celebrating a victory Tuesday night, thanks to an overwhelming support from the county's voters in approving the measure.
At Flagler Race Course in Miami supporters were partying and hugging each other after declaring victory. The track is one of three in the county that will benefit from the business of these slot machines.
"We are going to meet all of the projections; we hope to beat all the projection," said Ken Dunn of Calder Race Course. "People made a decision; they made the right decision."
A total of 242,185 voters, or 63% voted in favor of the slot machines. 141,961 voters, 37% , voted against it.
"That's going to give us 6,000 new jobs, $210 million extra for education," said State Senator Alex Villalobos. "You know, it's a win, win for everyone in the community."
The facilities expected to install the machines are Miami Jai-Alai, the Flagler Sports and Entertainment Center dog track and Calder Race Course.
It's the second time Miami-Dade County voters get to choose whether they feel slots will benefit a state education fund. Three years ago, Miami-Dade voters rejected a slot machine referendum, while voters in Broward County approved them for its jai-alai fronton and horse and dog racetracks.
Critics have said that gambling targets the poor in the community, erodes family values and is not the answer for Florida's education needs. Supporters count on the slots generating needed money for education and can help bolster a sluggish economy. They point out that slots are already available in Broward and on gambling boats that leave Miami for international waters.
Slot machine revenue is taxed at 50 percent in Broward County, and that same rate would apply to Miami-Dade if the slot machine referendum is approved.
A study done by Coral Gables-based Washington Economics Group said more than 64-hundred jobs could be created by the slot machines in their first year of operation, according to Yes for a Greater Miami-Dade, a slot machine proponent. The study projects $26 million in tax revenues will go to the county and the cities of Miami and Miami Gardens in the first year.
Among those who support the slots measure are Flagler Sports and Entertainment Center owner Barbara Havenick, former U.S. Representative Carrie Meek and state Sen. Alex Villalobos, R-Miami.
Former Governor Jeb Bush, who campaigned against the slots measure in 2005, and former governor and U.S. Senator Bob Graham oppose Miami-Dade slots.
"As a lifetime citizen of this community, I am saddened at the continued attempts to define our beautiful community's future as tied to a slot machine. We are better than that," Graham wrote.
Even the Humane Society of the United States has chimed in, donating $500,000 for the anti-slots campaign because of the potential economic benefits the machines present for dog racing, which it strongly opposes.
State figures show there are about 3,285 slot machines running in Florida. The addition of slots in Miami-Dade could potentially add 2,000 to that total.
Some industry observers note that the slot machines in Broward have not met expectations, partly because of the high tax rate and competition from the Seminole Tribe of Florida. The Seminoles have seven casinos in the state, including the Hard Rock hotels and entertainment centers in Tampa and Hollywood. In November, the Seminole Tribe and the state agreed to allow Las Vegas style slots, blackjack and other card games at the Indian casinos, in return for tax dollars generated by those games. Las Vegas-style slots began spinning at the Seminole Hard Rock Casino on Monday, just one day before the slots issue went before voters in Miami-Dade.
(© 2008 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
