The fast track effort to bring a destination casino resort to Miami is moving slowly.
Resorts World Miami, a subsidiary of the Genting Group, unveiled its elaborate design for a mega resort on Biscayne Bay but Miami officials have been waiting for critical information.
"It's a very awkward situation for the city," Mayor Tomas Regalado said. "They're saying they're moving forward in the construction, but we're seeing that we're not getting the information."
NBC Miami has learned Genting's first site plan to build the resort on The Miami Herald property was rejected by city officials.
A traffic study, requested by the city, has yet to be submitted.
"We want to understand what's going to happen to the Metromover, what's going to happen to Biscayne Boulevard, I-395. Everything that happens there will impact the city of Miami," Regalado said.
The bill to license three resort casinos in Miami-Dade and Broward counties is moving through committees in Tallahassee while big South Florida cities are lining up in opposition to the mega resorts.
Fort Lauderdale commissioners officially declared this week that they are not interested in a resort coming to their city.
Miami Beach passed a similar resolution, stating clearly that they too are not interested.
But one Miami city commissioner says it's just too early to take a position.
"That's OK, Miami Beach doesn't want it, Fort Lauderdale doesn't want it. Let places that welcome it duly consider, do their due diligence and look into whether it's a good thing or a bad thing," said Marc Sarnoff.
Legislators in Tallahassee are now focused on redistricting and the budget. Many are wondering if the resort casino bill will even make it to the full House and Senate for a vote by the time the session ends on March 9.
