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

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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)

Related Stories:
Seminole Tribe plans $1.8B in gaming projects with new compact (02/01)
Seminole Tribe runs ad touting $3B in revenues in casino compact (01/27)
Seminole Tribe finally gets response to gaming compact lawsuit (1/26)
Howard Stutz: Seminole Tribe pushes for Class III casino compact (1/19)
Seminole Tribe gets court date in 'bad faith' gaming deal case (1/15)
Florida governor ignores Seminole Tribe's casino deal in speech (1/13)
Fred Grimm: Seminole Tribe casino compact far from a sure thing (1/12)
Editorial: Limit non-Indian gaming in Seminole Tribe compact (1/11)
Seminole Tribe faces hurdles for new Class III gaming compact (1/8)
Seminole Tribe sees support for gaming compact with new poll (1/7)
Seminole Tribe promises more jobs under Class III gaming deal (1/5)