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GOP megadonor Sheldon Adelson readies 2021 lobbying blitz to bring casinos to Texas

Nueces River Rat

By Nueces River Rat
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Nueces River Rat

Nueces River Rat 5,539

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Interesting read...  https://www.texastribune.org/2020/12/09/sheldon-adelson-texas-casinos/

I'm not big on gambling as I don't do much myself, but I do see where Texas is losing a ton of money to other states.

I guess Las Vegas is going to be cool with less stuffed charter and Southwest Airlines flights from Texas?   Used to be from what I understand, Vegas money was used to keep casino gambling out of Texas.   

 

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TwiceHorn

TwiceHorn 31,539

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2 minutes ago, Nice Guy Eddie said:

Why do many of these proposals always seem to want the casinos to go away from major cities?  Galveston is always suggested as a location for a casino. Screw that. They should exist in Houston, Dallas, Austin and San Antonio. Now if tourist town want a casino, fine. Do what you want.

I think the reason is twofold.

One, it will ostensibly revitalize the economy where it's placed, so do it someplace cheap and depressed.

Two, it avoids the NIMBY vote.

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Nice Guy Eddie

Nice Guy Eddie 13,523

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1 minute ago, TwiceHorn said:

I think the reason is twofold.

One, it will ostensibly revitalize the economy where it's placed, so do it someplace cheap and depressed.

Two, it avoids the NIMBY vote.

Maybe. I believe that casinos can be allowed in a way that doesn't trash a city but I would see Galveston turning into Atlantic City if they have a monopoly in SE Texas.

 

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Nueces River Rat

Nueces River Rat 5,539

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28 minutes ago, Nice Guy Eddie said:

Why do many of these proposals always seem to want the casinos to go away from major cities?  Galveston is always suggested as a location for a casino. Screw that. They should exist in Houston, Dallas, Austin and San Antonio. Now if tourist town want a casino, fine. Do what you want.

 

25 minutes ago, TwiceHorn said:

I think the reason is twofold.

One, it will ostensibly revitalize the economy where it's placed, so do it someplace cheap and depressed.

Two, it avoids the NIMBY vote.

Twicehorn has in correct.

Galveston and probably Kemah (Tillman Feritta will see this is done) accommodate the Houston market

Although Corpus is not mentioned in the article,  I believe they were included in whatever proposals were tossed around for a destinations.   So in effect they would accommodate both the San Antonio and Austin markets along with the RGV and rich cats from Northern Mexico (Monterrey).   Assuming somewhere like South Padre Island is not included. 

The above have the beach areas  draws from the metro areas along with sport fishing and hunting (at least in the Corpus/South Texas area), so why not have the casino for those folks to drop some dimes in the evenings or during bad weather.   

I'm sure some North Texas town would take the Casinos and run with it to accommodate the DFW market.   Or maybe one of the lakes that is a weekend destination point in that part of the state down to East Texas? 

Edited by Nueces River Rat
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Hawndoh

Hawndoh 2,389

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Casinos don't revitalize anything other than the casino owner.

I mean look at those thriving, revitalized communities of Shreveport, LA or Durant, OK or that town in Mississippi near Memphis TN.

Thats the way they sell it politically but they don't revitalize anything.

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Armybrat

Armybrat 40,917

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28 minutes ago, Nice Guy Eddie said:

Maybe. I believe that casinos can be allowed in a way that doesn't trash a city but I would see Galveston turning into Atlantic City if they have a monopoly in SE Texas.

 

Galveston from the 1920s through the 1950s was the wide open gambling mecca of Texas.

Benny Binion & the Maceo Brothers were da men then.

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Nueces River Rat

Nueces River Rat 5,539

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5 minutes ago, Hawndoh said:

Casinos don't revitalize anything other than the casino owner.

I mean look at those thriving, revitalized communities of Shreveport, LA or Durant, OK or that town in Mississippi near Memphis TN.

Thats the way they sell it politically but they don't revitalize anything.

I think the only difference however is none of those cities are tourist destinations to begin with.    I think you are correct in the sense the return promised is overstated.   I can see some our tourist destinations using it as a tool to at least improve their accommodations they offer (IE larger resorts) which in turn will help the convention markets because lack of hotel space and exhibition space close to convention centers harms smaller cites like Corpus from getting larger conventions.  

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Nueces River Rat

Nueces River Rat 5,539

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1 minute ago, TonyTexas said:

Tilman Fertitta will be a big proponent of Galveston. He’s been angling for it for years. It will kill his Lake Charles investment but that would be a small price to pay. 

He wanted to do a Kemah like project in Corpus a 20 years back, but the old guard scared him off.   Maybe it was a good thing as I heard both the pros/cons and both made good arguments about his deal.    But the old guard who has  mostly died off or getting close to is no longer in charge  and has sold most of their properties and the new generation is more open to new things.  The old guard down here kept things like malls and other shopping destinations from being built which sent money to San Antonio, Houston,  and San Marcos on weekends just for shopping trips and they owned a lot of downtown properties that are now in other hands who might be willing to deal if the price is right whereas the old guard just sat on them for the very reason to keep out of town developers out.     I wouldn't doubt if he dusts off those old plans.   

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Nueces River Rat

Nueces River Rat 5,539

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19 minutes ago, ztejas said:

So fucking stupid. Texas should start by legalizing online gambling and taking a cut of that. 

Wouldn't this open the door for it? 

Do other states have it who don't necessarily have the Casino option available?

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TonyTexas

TonyTexas 10,530

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20 minutes ago, Nueces River Rat said:

Wouldn't this open the door for it? 

Do other states have it who don't necessarily have the Casino option available?

 

11 minutes ago, ztejas said:

Yes.

The only states that currently  have legal online casino gambling are NJ, Pennsylvania and WV., all of which have physical casinos. 

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ztejas

ztejas 43,540

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2 minutes ago, Hawndoh said:

That is sports gambling, not casino gambling

Right. Which is what I was trying to get at in my original comment. I now see that I didn't word it properly. 

Texas should start by legalizing online sports betting and take a cut of that.

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UT_OB1

UT_OB1 2,225

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Where do I sign up?  Would love if there was a nice, close casino in Kehma or Galveston. I like that he’s proposing that they be of certain value to bid so that you end up with a nice facility. Some of the places you drive by In Oklahoma are depressing.  

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CooterBrown

CooterBrown 18,031

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2 hours ago, Nueces River Rat said:

He wanted to do a Kemah like project in Corpus a 20 years back, but the old guard scared him off.   Maybe it was a good thing as I heard both the pros/cons and both made good arguments about his deal.    But the old guard who has  mostly died off or getting close to is no longer in charge  and has sold most of their properties and the new generation is more open to new things.  The old guard down here kept things like malls and other shopping destinations from being built which sent money to San Antonio, Houston,  and San Marcos on weekends just for shopping trips and they owned a lot of downtown properties that are now in other hands who might be willing to deal if the price is right whereas the old guard just sat on them for the very reason to keep out of town developers out.     I wouldn't doubt if he dusts off those old plans.   

Probably no city has been stunted by the old guard like Corpus has.  Talk about so much potential with downtown right down at the beach. It could've been developed into a really nice coastal city but all the old bubbas kept it Corpus.

 

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FORTY NINE TO ZERO

FORTY NINE TO ZERO 2,652

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4 minutes ago, CooterBrown said:

Probably no city has been stunted by the old guard like Corpus has.  Talk about so much potential with downtown right down at the beach. It could've been developed into a really nice coastal city but all the old bubbas kept it Corpus.

 

Yep. It always shocks me when i go there and see the wasted potential

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Nueces River Rat

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1 hour ago, CooterBrown said:

Probably no city has been stunted by the old guard like Corpus has.  Talk about so much potential with downtown right down at the beach. It could've been developed into a really nice coastal city but all the old bubbas kept it Corpus.

 

There some positive mojo now.   Pre covid there was alot of stuff in motion that got sidetracked.  Now it's kind of getting back on track.  The number of people moving in from out of state is remarkable, especially California.   My agency has been taking calls from all over the nation.  

I know every city in the nation has their old money people, but dang the ones here were a special breed.  They had their hands in everything  and people back then in told them what you are doing today is going to keep your kids from wanting to return and so on .  Quality of life matters.....     Funny thing  they can see with their own eyes (if they are alive still)   is their own kids and grandkids gave up and live elsewhere which is exactly what more progressive minded people were trying to get across to them when they were doing their obstruction to keep their pockets and bank accounts happy.   Sure enough their kids left and when they inherited the properties or businesses, they had no intention on keeping them because they have no real interest left in the city.  

Still a ways to go in Corpus, but I like the momentum now.  I don't plan on staying but another 4-5 years as my youngest needs to finish high school.  We are moving up to the Hill Country, somewhere between Boerne and Dripping Springs.  Not leaving because I don't like it here.  We've always had an eye in building in the Hill Country and besides I really don't want to be left picking up the pieces after a major hurricane strike when I'm in my 50's or older.  I'll pass on this. 

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CooterBrown

CooterBrown 18,031

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they were doing their obstruction to keep their pockets and bank accounts happy.   


What’s shortsighted is that if they would’ve focused on developing business and amenities, everyone of those knuckleheads would’ve been a hundred times richer than they were. It was always the people who would’ve benefited financially that obstructed everything just to hold on to their spot as a big fish in a tiny pond.
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bolverk

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8 minutes ago, Nueces River Rat said:

There some positive mojo now.   Pre covid there was alot of stuff in motion that got sidetracked.  Now it's kind of getting back on track.  The number of people moving in from out of state is remarkable, especially California.   My agency has been taking calls from all over the nation.  

I know every city in the nation has their old money people, but dang the ones here were a special breed.  They had their hands in everything  and people back then in told them what you are doing today is going to keep your kids from wanting to return and so on .  Quality of life matters.....     Funny thing  they can see with their own eyes (if they are alive still)   is their own kids and grandkids gave up and live elsewhere which is exactly what more progressive minded people were trying to get across to them when they were doing their obstruction to keep their pockets and bank accounts happy.   Sure enough their kids left and when they inherited the properties or businesses, they had no intention on keeping them because they have no real interest left in the city.  

Still a ways to go in Corpus, but I like the momentum now.  I don't plan on staying but another 4-5 years as my youngest needs to finish high school.  We are moving up to the Hill Country, somewhere between Boerne and Dripping Springs.  Not leaving because I don't like it here.  We've always had an eye in building in the Hill Country and besides I really don't want to be left picking up the pieces after a major hurricane strike when I'm in my 50's or older.  I'll pass on this. 

What you speak about Corpus Christi is true. There's something uniquely bad about the leadership there. I've been working with chambers, economic development organizations, downtown revitalization groups, cities, counties, and regional boards of various types for about 20 years now. Every single time I've had any prospects/projects down there, shit has gone south on the Corpus end of the deal. At my old firm, we used to debate which Texas city did the worst job of reaching its potential, and it would always come down to either Corpus or Waco. Just last month I was speaking with a specialist in another field about a project in Corpus, and she said "Every chance they (Corpus) get to make a decision, they always seem to choose the wrong one."

I apologize if I'm being too harsh on your town.

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Nueces River Rat

Nueces River Rat 5,539

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30 minutes ago, bolverk said:

What you speak about Corpus Christi is true. There's something uniquely bad about the leadership there. I've been working with chambers, economic development organizations, downtown revitalization groups, cities, counties, and regional boards of various types for about 20 years now. Every single time I've had any prospects/projects down there, shit has gone south on the Corpus end of the deal. At my old firm, we used to debate which Texas city did the worst job of reaching its potential, and it would always come down to either Corpus or Waco. Just last month I was speaking with a specialist in another field about a project in Corpus, and she said "Every chance they (Corpus) get to make a decision, they always seem to choose the wrong one."

I apologize if I'm being too harsh on your town.

No apology needed at all as it's pretty much on target.   I will say however we've had a change a city hall with a new City Manager who has been on the job over a year and he's sent a lot career people packing including the clowns who ran the Street Department to the ground.  He now has a real Civil  Engineer running the department who fixed a similar major street issue in his former city and  he's brought in outside the area  contractors who were not getting bids before and better work  because the prior crew had their preferred local  contractors and we'd get a crap product.    The department he is now working on is Developmental Services where many in that department were tied to the hips of the old money crowd noted above.   I know for decades we've never been able to attract some of the national/statewide  brand homebuilders who can build subdivisions at a price target we need now and two of them have announced they are finally setting up shop down here.   Before they wouldn't even try because of the old money people owned either the local building firms and/ or the land.

 I see some good things happening now, especially on the quality of life side of the coin.  Didn't think I'd say this a few years ago, but I do know it still has a ways to go.

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MaybeACoordinator

MaybeACoordinator 8,349

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Galveston should bring back illegal gambling. Legal casinos are lame.

Texas has been fucked out of a shit ton of tax money by Louisiana and Oklahoma politicians aided by bought-off Texans for decades...That sleazeball lobbyist Jack Abramoff had a big hand in this back around twenty years ago, playing off the Louisiana Coushatta Indians against the Alabama-Coushatta here. (One reason we don't already have casinos here is the Native American population is small and disorganized, even compared to that of Louisiana, which is no Oklahoma in the Feather-not-Dot Power department.)

I am against it for selfish reasons (I don't casino gamble and very rarely even bet on sports) and also some of the economic reasons above. Siphoning in Texas money has not done much to transform Lake Charles or Shreveport into Monte Carlo, and Atlantic City is a shithole of shitholes even right there on the doorsteps of both Philly and NYC. 

 

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