Editorial: Grandstanding on Seminole casino deal

Monday, November 2, 2009  

"Florida House Speaker Larry Cretul's call for the federal government to fine or shut down games at the Seminole Indians' casinos is highly unorthodox and a bit of a grandstand play.

In seeking federal intervention, he broke faith with the Senate and governor and further eroded the possibility Florida will strike a deal with the tribe. But there could be a silver lining if Cretul's overture to the National Indian Gaming Commission brings clarity to an untenable situation.

Now, Florida is in the worst of all worlds. Gambling — from Vegas-style slots to blackjack — has expanded dramatically at Seminole casinos, but the state has not approved it and has yet to be able to spend a single penny from it. Meanwhile, Florida's revenue shortfall for next year is projected to be $2.6 billion and its homegrown gambling venues, the dog and horse tracks and jai alai frontons, have seen their share of the market dwindle.

There is plenty of blame to go around. Gov. Charlie Crist failed to get the Legislature's consent in 2007 when he signed his first deal with the Seminoles, and the Florida Supreme Court threw out the agreement a year later because of that oversight. The state has been at a severe disadvantage in negotiations ever since, because the Seminoles now have the machines in place and are making money even without the state's approval."

Get the Story:
Editorial: Cretul rolls the dice (The St. Petersburg Times 10/1)

More Opinions:
Editorial: Gambling stalemate gets dicey for state (The Tampa Tribune 11/1)
Editorial: A gambling table for three (The Palm Beach Post 10/30)