• Fertittas sell 10% of UFC to Abu Dhabi, new LV sugar daddy, presumably to stave off [Boyd Gaming] takeover of [Station Casinos]. http://tinyurl.com/yzhbmv2
• [Penn National Gaming] gets deadline extension in [Kansas]. http://tinyurl.com/yawfuqk
• Aria room rates continue to erode, settling into $149/night range. It’s over & Bellagio has won. Wynn ≥ Murren. http://tinyurl.com/yd92tr5
• Inability to afford LV hookers sees local men resort to time-tested alternative: http://tinyurl.com/y9cfwxh
• You know Face to Face with Jon Ralston has arrived when it’s nominated for an Insurgo [Theater Movement] makeover. As is Steve Wynn. http://tinyurl.com/ydmpkv6
• Moor is less @ Insurgo’s Othello wherein Iago scampers away w. the show. It’s UFC Shakespeare, speedy & loud. http://tinyurl.com/yasopdh7
• Chasing CityCenter, Harrah’s [Enterainment] may soon restart dormant Octavius Tower. Planet Ho bid also case of CC envy. http://tinyurl.com/ycpmdlo [But Gary Loveman still can’t find the money to repaint The Rio; at least he had the Fuego sign finally taken down.]
• [Florida] GOP cuts off nose to spite [Crist], leaves $225M from Seminole casinos on table; parimutuels get “juice job.” http://tinyurl.com/yd68njg
RE: • [Florida] GOP cuts off nose to spite [Crist], leaves $225M from Seminole casinos on table; parimutuels get “juice job.”
Your take is total bull. Twice now the governor has far exceeded his authority and defied the legislature as well as the electorate. The casinos are operating illegally, plain and simple and should be shut down until a compact is in place. All that can be given to the NA’s is class III slots and nothing more.
Sorry, but the electorate has no standing in this matter until and unless it votes to authorize Class III table games at parimutuels at those locales where it has already approved slot machines. It held no vote (and has no authority to do so) on what kinds of games the Seminoles are permitted to offer … although I daresay that Floridians are voting heavily with their dollars in the tribe’s favor. Once those parimutuel slots were permitted, the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act cat was out of the bag and the state is required to negotiate a compact permitting Class III slots at tribal casinos (or more, if so inclined). The “negotiate” part seems to irk Florida legislators, whose obvious preference is to simply dictate policy to the Seminoles.
Detroit_1051 found this:
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/florida/fl-seminole-blackjack-deal-20100114,0,2950346.story
It looks like the Seminoles anticipated a legislative smackdown and have devised a workaround … or at least a clever delaying tactic. If Washington gets involved, I suspect it will be to give everyone an opportunity to save face rather than intervening against the Seminoles. But, as Yogi Berra wisely observed, predictions are risky, especially when they involve the future.
David needs a history lesson.
Numerous times the voters have turned down any sort of casino gaming since reacquiring statehood after the war.
The voters/electorate amended the state constitution to allow the voters of several specific counties to decide if their counties would allow slot machines (class III was assumed but not specifically enumerated) and two counties ok’d them. So, yes, the electorate does have standing. Had they not, then why the need to amend the state constitution to allow them in the first place? See ARTICLE X SECTION 23 Slot machines for the language.
It was Governor Crist who gave away the store by allowing MORE than mere slots during the alleged compact negotiations. That was a slap in the face to every voter whose sole intention was to allow slots ONLY. Why that happened can only be speculated upon but Charlie Crist was at that point in time being mentioned as a possible running mate on the McCain ticket where huge amounts of $$$ would be necessary – I speculate.
The Florida Supreme Court heard the matter and said the Gov. far exceeded his authority. The Florida Senate put the final draft of the compact together and told the Gov. this is it. It did include table card games. Once again dear old Charlie trashed it and came up with something different.
The internal intrigue is meaningless. No tribe has the right to open a casino or continue to operate until a valid compact is in place. That’s the law.
“The “negotiate” part seems to irk Florida legislators, whose obvious preference is to simply dictate policy to the Seminoles.” Damn straight!!! The same as any state that regulates casino gaming it is not only their right, it is a DUTY!!!. Compare what Florida has on the books vs. any other state and you would say there is no real regulation in place.
As a side note, neither the previous compact, the proposed Senate version of a new compact or the one that the Gov. recently signed has any real protection for the patrons nor the employees. It’s all about money and not much else. Once again, the people lose.
“Compare what Florida has on the books vs. any other state and you would say there is no real regulation in place.”
Neither do most other states (California is one of the worst examples in this regard). Because of tribal sovereignty, Florida cannot impose a regulatory apparatus, let alone a tax structure, on Seminole casinos. Hence the need for the NIGC and/or the Interior Dept. to act as referee.