"When word first surfaced that Gov. Andrew Cuomo was considering the legalization of Las Vegas-style casinos in New York state, we expressed our usual reservations about turning toward the gambling industry as an economic development tool. The social costs of increased gambling are real, and the money they can drain from a community can’t be ignored.

There’s also plenty of legitimate benefits a casino resort brings to a community. We don’t want to see a bunch of all-inclusive attractions that merely get people off a highway, into a casino and then back home without spending time in the region where the resort is located.

With all that said, we also stated that if casino development was inevitable, it was crucial to make sure it’s done responsibly."

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Our View: Time for real conversation on casinos (The Auburn Citizen 3/19)