Compacts

Seminole Tribe's gaming compact takes a step forward in Florida

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel in Tampa, Florida. Photo from Facebook

Lawmakers in a Florida House committee voted on Tuesday to approve a new Class III gaming compact with the Seminole Tribe.

The agreement guarantees $3 billion to the state in the first seven years. The tribe also plans to invest $1.8 billion in expansion projects and create more than 15,000 construction and permanent jobs.

Despite the big ticket provisions, lawmakers are being pressured by non-Indian interests to expand gaming elsewhere in the state. Two other bills approved by the committee on Tuesday address those concerns.

The tribe has already shared $1 billion with the state under a 2010 compact. Key provisions of that deal expired in July 2015 but the tribe has asserted the right to continue offering blackjack as a lawsuit plays out in federal court.

Get the Story:
Gambling deal moves ahead in House (The South Florida Sun Sentinel 2/10)
Tampa Bay Downs may get $10 million in Seminole revenue sharing (The Tampa Bay Tribune 2/9)
House committee votes to expand gambling, ratify compact (The Tampa Bay Times 2/9)
House panel approves raft of gaming bills (Florida Politics 2/9)
Seminole Tribe releases emotional ad urging Compact passage (Florida Politics 2/8)