Column: State foolish not to negotiate Poarch Creek compact

Do you have any idea how many millions — maybe even billions of dollars — this state has left sitting on the table because of the silly stand our lawmakers have taken against legalized gambling, even as legalized gambling is occurring in the state?

The Poarch Creeks have been offering to enter into a compact with the state for years.

Robbie McGhee, the tribe's government relations adviser, said recently that the Poarch Creeks have held talks with the past two governors and several other lawmakers about a compact that would have traded taxes on Indian casino earnings for a relaxing of the state's gaming laws that might allow for straight slot machines or even table games.

The talks go great as the campaigns are raging and the candidates need the tribe's money for support. But as soon as the results are in, the calls stop being answered.

How dumb is this approach? Consider this: The electronic bingo machines currently in use in the Poarch Creek casinos — machines the state has little chance of stopping the tribe from using — have been described by a number of our state lawmakers as being nearly identical to regular slot machines.

So, as machines nearly identical to regular slot machines are in use, our lawmakers have refused to accept millions in tax dollars for allowing the same tribe to use slot machines.