The fate of resort casinos in the Sunshine State could be put in the hands of Florida voters if changes to the casino bill are adopted.
In all, some three dozen changes are being made to the 137-page bill by its sponsor, State Sen. Ellyn Bogdanoff.
Among the new changes are voter approval on gambling and counties beyond Miami-Dade and Broward getting a chance to compete for their own $2 billion mega casino.
The new bill could be a major boon to our neighbors to the north, as Palm Beach County and areas like Tampa Bay could possibly get resort gaming.
As the state senate weighs in, many Floridians see job opportunity in the bill, including builders, who say it could launch some 75,000 construction jobs.
"The hope is that this would create enough of a development and enough of a boon that they could get hired back," said Carol Bowen, with the Florida Association of Builders and Contractors.
Local limo owners say they would be able to hire more drivers and buy new cars if the bill goes through.
"I would say this business would probably more than double, if not triple," said Gary Reiffert, with Hollywood Limousine.
While Bogdanoff's bill boosts prospects for resort casinos, it raises the stakes for parimutuels. Changes include banning new permits and calling for some to invest $100 million.
But the state Chamber of Commerce isn't buying it, fearing rapid job growth could hurt current businesses.
"When you put a casino in an area like South Florida, it actually takes money away from the existing businesses that are already there," said Florida Chamber of Commerce's Mark Wilson.
The bill and the new changes could go for a vote by Monday, and it should be noted that few gaming companies have shown interest in developing resort casinos outside South Florida.
