Editorial: Lawmakers in hot seat on Seminole deal

Wednesday, September 2, 2009  

"The gambling compact reached Monday between Gov. Charlie Crist and the Seminole Tribe puts the Legislature on the hot seat.

With a special session looming in the fall, lawmakers will be forced to either approve a deal that contains provisions they find objectionable, or reject an agreement that ultimately could be imposed on the state by the federal government.

Bradenton Rep. Bill Galvano, serving as the House’s lead negotiator on the issue, cited several “red flags” after Monday’s announcement — expanded card games, exclusive Vegas-style slot operations and loss of legislative oversight.

The Crist agreement allows the tribe to deal blackjack and other house-banked card games at all seven Seminole casinos. Lawmakers wanted those games restricted to the two in Broward and the Seminole Hard Rock Casino in Tampa, but the tribe rejected that limitation.

The Seminoles also want the exclusive operation of slot machines outside Miami-Dade and Broward counties, where voters approved the devices. Lawmakers sought slot competition from horse and dog tracks within 100 miles from the tribal casinos."

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Editorial: Tribal gambling compacts put Legislature in tough spot (The Bradenton Herald 9/2)