As the Connecticut legislature enters a new session, one of the headliner issues is competition for a commercial casino in Bridgeport. From Dan Haar, CT Post:
Supporters of a casino in Bridgeport will roll out a bill Tuesday that would revoke the East Windsor license granted last year to the Mohegan and Mashantucket Pequot tribes and replace it with a competition for proposals for a single casino costing at least $500 million.
The bill will call for bids by Jan. 1, which must include a deal with a city or town, complete with a referendum, anyplace in Connecticut. If adopted, it would empower the state commissioners of consumer protection and economic and community development to recommend one winner by April 2, 2019.
The legislature could then vote on whether to approve a casino license for the winner, which would pay the state 25 percent of all gambling revenues plus 10 percent of slot machine revenues, the latter amount dedicated to school aid.
Full story here.
This is a nonstarter. Bridgeport’s social and economic maladies will not be cured by a gambling den. There are too many casinos planned for the region. MGM is building a casino in Springfield, Massachusetts. There are the Indian casinos. Now there’s a casino planned for the Borscht Belt.
“Supporters of a casino in Bridgeport will roll out a bill Tuesday that would revoke the East Windsor license granted last year to the Mohegan and Mashantucket Pequot tribes…”
Lennie, name the supporters you are referring to. Where does Senator Moore and Ed Gomes stand on this?
TBK, I fully agree with you. 35 to 50 percent of casino customers are problem gamblers. While no one disputes that the odds of winning in a casino are stacked in favor of the house, the gaming industry subtly promotes the message that “You can be a winner”. That plays on human frailties. Also, the traffic complications for the Bridgeport area would be great over an already congestion sensitive region!
*** Soon they’ll be a casino in every state of the union, with hopes from the State’s politicians for more tax money & jobs. Too much of anything, usually amounts to a negative outcome! ***Want to put money on it?***
There are casinos all over the Midwest and south, casinos owned and operated by native American tribes.