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

[956 Worldwide 34715]

SPI and the local community has fought off a couple attempts to build a casino, including one that was proposed right on top of a perfectly great county park. 

That is one of the few destinations that might actually draw OOS traffic. It would for sure trash the place completely.  More likely it would be what nearly all casinos are outside of Las Vegas— a virtual wire transfer from locals into Sheldon Adelson’s pocket. 
 

I just don’t see Texas becoming a worldwide casino gaming destination.  If you’re building a whole vacation around that, you’re going to go to Vegas and get the whole experience. If you’re already in Texas, there are better ways to convince you to leave a bit more money behind.

[hornbri 1399]

I just want them to make this legal as I could see it being a gateway drug to freeing the weed. 

Edited December 11, 2020 by hornbri

[956 Worldwide 34715]

Lol, Sheldon Adelson is also one of the biggest backers of anti-legalization measures across the country.

[Pato del Muerto 52507]

2 hours ago, CooterBrown said:

 

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.

 

If they could live their lives all over...

[Guest Lobo]

What's the story on that handful of shitty casinos down in Eagle Pass?  I know they're technically "Indian Casinos" but we've got tribal heritage lands all over the state, why just those 2 or 3 down there?  It would stand to reason either we have none or we have many more than that. 

[Paper_jam 831]

I'm torn on this. It could be helpful for the state IMHO but at the same time I hate the likely backer(s) of this. Would we have a gaming commission to provide vigorous oversight and make sure they run an honest game that's fair to the player? (Of course not, it's Texas and we don't believe in regulation.) 

 

 

 

[Nueces River Rat 5539]

Lol, Sheldon Adelson is also one of the biggest backers of anti-legalization measures across the country.

Which is why this story caught my eye. Yea he and others in Vegas and other gambling destinations would give money under shell organizations to existing anti gambling groups or form new ones just to oppose the move in Texas to legalize.

[Nueces River Rat 5539]

I'm torn on this. It could be helpful for the state IMHO but at the same time I hate the likely backer(s) of this. Would we have a gaming commission to provide vigorous oversight and make sure they run an honest game that's fair to the player? (Of course not, it's Texas and we don't believe in regulation.) 
 
 
 

You watched Casino too many times.

[Nueces River Rat 5539]

SPI and the local community has fought off a couple attempts to build a casino, including one that was proposed right on top of a perfectly great county park. 

That is one of the few destinations that might actually draw OOS traffic. It would for sure trash the place completely.  More likely it would be what nearly all casinos are outside of Las Vegas— a virtual wire transfer from locals into Sheldon Adelson’s pocket. 
 
I just don’t see Texas becoming a worldwide casino gaming destination.  If you’re building a whole vacation around that, you’re going to go to Vegas and get the whole experience. If you’re already in Texas, there are better ways to convince you to leave a bit more money behind.

We won’t become the Vegas like destination for vacations and all of that. More along the lines of the quick 3 or 4 day weekend. Some of our communities do not need the buffets.

[Guest]

what is the idiotic infatuation/ connection with gambling and water?

why would casinos in the Houston area be best in Galveston?

Build up north in the Woodlands.  Build to the west in Katy.  Build something downtown by the stadiums( see the Baltimore model, yes, really)

Let whoever the fuck is interested build the resorts.

Fuck Oklahoma. Fuck Louisiana.  Fuck New Mexico.   Fuck Las Vegas for that matter...

Edited December 12, 2020 by slorch

[956 Worldwide 34715]

12 minutes ago, Nueces River Rat said:

We won’t become the Vegas like destination for vacations and all of that. More along the lines of the quick 3 or 4 day weekend. Some of our communities do not need the buffets.

Serious question—- who is coming from outside Texas to gamble here even for a long weekend? Arkies? Most of the states around us already have gaming. 
 

I can see the argument here for “grownups should be able to do what they want” but let’s not kid ourselves. Adelson wants to take Texans’ money.  There’s plenty of empirical research on this—- casinos open and locals start gambling/gamble more than they ever would otherwise.  
 

 

[Guest Lobo]

Yeah, I don't see this is destination gaming except for folks already hundreds of miles from a Texas border (RGV, San Antonio, Austin, et. al.).  Maybe you could get a bit of a draw from folks wanting to see the Texas "beaches" that would fly in for a long weekend with the kids.  The real power and draw would be our insanely fast growing convention business in Austin, San Antonio, and Houston, and to some extent-Fort Worth and Dallas.  You put a casino within a half-hour of those places (in the exurbs) with shuttle service and you can go ahead and bury the OK and LA casino business.  We'd never have to worry about public school funding or legalizing marijuana ever again.  

But we won't do it because it could lead to dangerous shit like people drinking a cocktail on Sundays.  In the meantime, of course, due to our conservative, limited government standards, we will continue to spend more money as a state on lottery tickets and scratch-offs than the bottom 40 states combined.  Because we love Jesus more than any other state.  

You could literally fund 2 or 3 flagship public universities alongside our current Tier I research institutions just with a legalized sportsbook in the state of Texas.  My god, the possibilities.  But we'll fuck it up, we always do.  Because We're Texas.  The richest, most backwards ass place you'll ever wish for. 

[Bullneck 19109]

5 hours 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.

I grew up in Corpus and left for UT in 1980.  The last time I visited was a couple of years ago.  It is like a place stuck in a time capsule.  There's been some changes here and there but for the most part it seems the same. 

 

[Armybrat 40850]

4 hours ago, 956 Worldwide said:

Lol, Sheldon Adelson is also one of the biggest backers of anti-legalization measures across the country.

Ol’ Shel ain’t gonna be much older, so there’s that.

[Nueces River Rat 5539]

Serious question—- who is coming from outside Texas to gamble here even for a long weekend? Arkies? Most of the states around us already have gaming. 
 
I can see the argument here for “grownups should be able to do what they want” but let’s not kid ourselves. Adelson wants to take Texans’ money.  There’s plenty of empirical research on this—- casinos open and locals start gambling/gamble more than they ever would otherwise.  
 
 

I think most studies show casino gambling in Texas would stop Texans from going to other states and in particular from the neighboring states . It’s a quick day trip for folks who live in SA or Austin to Corpus or Houston vs going to Lake Charles like many do currently.

[Nueces River Rat 5539]

What's the story on that handful of shitty casinos down in Eagle Pass?  I know they're technically "Indian Casinos" but we've got tribal heritage lands all over the state, why just those 2 or 3 down there?  It would stand to reason either we have none or we have many more than that. 

I’m surprised that loophole hasn’t been used more in Texas unless their something that requires the land to be a certain status like a true Reservation or something along those lines.

[woohorn 1131]

Thought okie indian tribes bought up horse tracks like Lone Star Park in anticipation of video poker. Wouldn't they be set to benefit if Texas legalized more than Sheldon and Tilman?

[NeverMarryAStripper 21907]

I’d like to see one example of a place where legalized gambling has actually improved the quality of life.  I’m all for letting adults do pretty much anything that doesn’t hurt other people, but Ive never gone and gambled at a place I would want to live.

Edited December 12, 2020 by NeverMarryAStripper

[MaybeACoordinator 8349]

1 hour ago, NeverMarryAStripper said:

I’d like to see one example of a place where legalized gambling has actually improved the quality of life.  I’m all for letting adults do pretty much anything that doesn’t hurt other people, but Ive never gone and gambled at a place I would want to live.

Maybe for Indian tribes? IDK, honestly. 

[956 Worldwide 34715]

7 hours ago, Lobo said:

Yeah, I don't see this is destination gaming except for folks already hundreds of miles from a Texas border (RGV, San Antonio, Austin, et. al.).  Maybe you could get a bit of a draw from folks wanting to see the Texas "beaches" that would fly in for a long weekend with the kids.  The real power and draw would be our insanely fast growing convention business in Austin, San Antonio, and Houston, and to some extent-Fort Worth and Dallas.  You put a casino within a half-hour of those places (in the exurbs) with shuttle service and you can go ahead and bury the OK and LA casino business.  We'd never have to worry about public school funding or legalizing marijuana ever again.  

But we won't do it because it could lead to dangerous shit like people drinking a cocktail on Sundays.  In the meantime, of course, due to our conservative, limited government standards, we will continue to spend more money as a state on lottery tickets and scratch-offs than the bottom 40 states combined.  Because we love Jesus more than any other state.  

You could literally fund 2 or 3 flagship public universities alongside our current Tier I research institutions just with a legalized sportsbook in the state of Texas.  My god, the possibilities.  But we'll fuck it up, we always do.  Because We're Texas.  The richest, most backwards ass place you'll ever wish for. 

I do not give a single solitary shit what any consenting adult does in a casino on Sunday or any other day.

My question is purely along the line of NMAS.

I am completely unpersuaded by “fund education.”  Why don’t Louisiana and Mississippi lure Texas’ best students to the ivory towers of tier one research institutions paid for by the money Texan parents dropped in Shreveport or Gulf Shores? Why does California have the nations’ top state university system— and no school in Nevada would crack their top ten? 
 

For that matter, where are the gleaming schools and well-funded social services educating kids and raising living standards for Native people anywhere you see Tribal gaming? 
 

Why not just fund a couple more top tier research universities, which pretty much all analyses show more than pay for themselves in terms of increased investment, research, and attracting a talented workforce?
 
I don’t know whether gambling causes incompetent and corrupt government or if incompetent and corrupt government turns to gambling. Probably a little of both, but I have never been to a gambling Mecca and thought— wow, they’ve really leveraged this industry to make this community a better place.  I keep hearing the arguments but for me at this point it’s like the mythical “Bolshevik Workers Paradise is at hand if we only follow the formula to perfection this time” or the similar “this chemical factory will police  itself perfectly if we just get rid of all regulations.”

[Bookman 4639]

The problem with putting a casino in Galveston is it will be a dump.

[Nueces River Rat 5539]

8 hours ago, NeverMarryAStripper said:

I’d like to see one example of a place where legalized gambling has actually improved the quality of life.  I’m all for letting adults do pretty much anything that doesn’t hurt other people, but Ive never gone and gambled at a place I would want to live.

In some extent probably just Vegas in the sense had gambling never evolved to the industry it is today, Vegas more than likely would have the population of a number of other dusty desert towns and its main industry would be prostitution along with the  military thanks to states primary use as a weapons training ground. 

[kevwun 15790]

Remember when the Texas State Lottery was going to fund education?  I 'member.

[Nueces River Rat 5539]

3 hours ago, 956 Worldwide said:

I do not give a single solitary shit what any consenting adult does in a casino on Sunday or any other day.

My question is purely along the line of NMAS.

I am completely unpersuaded by “fund education.”  Why don’t Louisiana and Mississippi lure Texas’ best students to the ivory towers of tier one research institutions paid for by the money Texan parents dropped in Shreveport or Gulf Shores? Why does California have the nations’ top state university system— and no school in Nevada would crack their top ten? 
 

For that matter, where are the gleaming schools and well-funded social services educating kids and raising living standards for Native people anywhere you see Tribal gaming? 
 

Why not just fund a couple more top tier research universities, which pretty much all analyses show more than pay for themselves in terms of increased investment, research, and attracting a talented workforce?
 
I don’t know whether gambling causes incompetent and corrupt government or if incompetent and corrupt government turns to gambling. Probably a little of both, but I have never been to a gambling Mecca and thought— wow, they’ve really leveraged this industry to make this community a better place.  I keep hearing the arguments but for me at this point it’s like the mythical “Bolshevik Workers Paradise is at hand if we only follow the formula to perfection this time” or the similar “this chemical factory will police  itself perfectly if we just get rid of all regulations.”

That my problem with how gambling bills are sold to the public for voter or legislative approval.   The money in the numbers they promise hardly goes to education.  Recall that was one of the , if not THE selling point for the Lotto?  Just tell the truth and say the revenue will go to the general fund and it could end up building a highway to nowhere for all we know. 

[Larry T. Spider 1746]

9 hours ago, woohorn said:

Thought okie indian tribes bought up horse tracks like Lone Star Park in anticipation of video poker. Wouldn't they be set to benefit if Texas legalized more than Sheldon and Tilman?

It’s owned by Global Gaming Solutions, which is basically just the Chickasaw Tribe.

Horse racing actually got a big boost in the legislative session because there is some alignment between rural/agricultural areas and gambling that republicans can get on board with. Some of the tax money collected on horse related products went to support purses at the tracks and the results were solid before covid hit.

Horse racing actually supports a ton of jobs on and off the track and generates a ton of economic activity. If I breed on horse to race, I will easily have 30k in costs before it ever sees the track, and that’s not including a hefty stud fee if it’s well bred.

Back on topic, I think that move showed some softening in the legislature on gambling related activities. 

[Underdog 28690]

21 hours ago, Armybrat said:

.99 cent shrimp cocktails & Ho dogs ftw!

Cause Hos gots to eat too! 

[Armybrat 40850]

3 minutes ago, Underdog said:

Cause Hos gots to eat too! 

 

[Underdog 28690]

Would smash.  Is that from Slots-A-Fun?  Believe I've had both the .99 cent shrimp and footlong from there. 

[Armybrat 40850]

Westward Ho

[Mrs Whiggins 13050]

5 hours ago, 956 Worldwide said:

I do not give a single solitary shit what any consenting adult does in a casino on Sunday or any other day.

My question is purely along the line of NMAS.

I am completely unpersuaded by “fund education.”  Why don’t Louisiana and Mississippi lure Texas’ best students to the ivory towers of tier one research institutions paid for by the money Texan parents dropped in Shreveport or Gulf Shores? Why does California have the nations’ top state university system— and no school in Nevada would crack their top ten? 
 

For that matter, where are the gleaming schools and well-funded social services educating kids and raising living standards for Native people anywhere you see Tribal gaming? 
 

Why not just fund a couple more top tier research universities, which pretty much all analyses show more than pay for themselves in terms of increased investment, research, and attracting a talented workforce?
 
I don’t know whether gambling causes incompetent and corrupt government or if incompetent and corrupt government turns to gambling. Probably a little of both, but I have never been to a gambling Mecca and thought— wow, they’ve really leveraged this industry to make this community a better place.  I keep hearing the arguments but for me at this point it’s like the mythical “Bolshevik Workers Paradise is at hand if we only follow the formula to perfection this time” or the similar “this chemical factory will police  itself perfectly if we just get rid of all regulations.”

Rep for this plus the other posts commenting upon education funding as it relates to gambling enterprises. Education funding is a whole 'nother thread worthy discussion, but your take is spot on, plus ISDs are wholly dependent upon so many factors and fingers in pies that the money stream goes through a Rube Goldberg contraption constructed of sieves. But it is not unlike the comments relating to the 'old money' with respect to development. Reluctant to change, change for change's sake, corruption; it's all a hot mess with big bucks.

I grew up in Oklahoma but left prior to the casinos getting as large and prevalent as they are now. I still have family there, however, and the anecdotal consensus is that they have done good and bad things for the state. Tribal leadership shares some similarities with other types of leadership in that some leaders are very capable at serving their community while others serve themselves and their cohorts while the community suffers. Toss in some very painful and criminal events that occurred when oil was discovered (besides racism, Jim Crow, and general Okie outlaw behavior) and some family dynasties that have held onto power and it has never surprised me that the potential of the state has never been realized. Some heart breakingly beautiful natural areas, some amazingly talented people (many who have left), and a general populace that has their nose pressed against the glass of the department store watching the powerful people spend their money.

I'm not going to tell people they can't gamble, it's their money. But I don't do it myself and I think it promises a lot more than it delivers.

[Doc Reeves 6434]

My grandfather was an old school Fed. Worked for the Secret Service and had some crazy g-man stories about busting counterfeiters. 

He always said that I’m gambling was the worst evil that he had ever seen. Once you’re addicted to gambling, it’s your mind that is your poison

Meanwhile, making pot legal is blasphemy 

[SquishMitten 10408]

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.

True. I wonder if they could make it conditional on forcing them to have a higher minimum wage for employees. Something like $20-25/hour. I’d imagine the casinos could afford that, and it would add a lot of good paying jobs while also increasing tax revenue. Maybe allot something like 50% of tax revenue to the local community to improve infrastructure for the first 10 years, then gradually lower it down to 20% over the next decade or so.

* I just pulled all dollars and percents out of my ass for hypothetical purposes

[Murfdogg21 4412]

14 hours ago, slorch said:

what is the idiotic infatuation/ connection with gambling and water?

why would casinos in the Houston area be best in Galveston?

Build up north in the Woodlands.  Build to the west in Katy.  Build something downtown by the stadiums( see the Baltimore model, yes, really)

Let whoever the fuck is interested build the resorts.

Fuck Oklahoma. Fuck Louisiana.  Fuck New Mexico.   Fuck Las Vegas for that matter...

This. You can have reservations (pun intended) about who benefits the most financially, but the bottom line is this is an alternative tax revenue source to fund (hopefully) schools and roads that costs Texans nothing and takes money away from casinos in neighboring states. No indian chief tears shed at all. 

[Guest]

nm

Edited December 12, 2020 by slorch

[Guest]

19 minutes ago, SquishMitten said:

True. I wonder if they could make it conditional on forcing them to have a higher minimum wage for employees. Something like $20-25/hour. I’d imagine the casinos could afford that, and it would add a lot of good paying jobs while also increasing tax revenue. Maybe allot something like 50% of tax revenue to the local community to improve infrastructure for the first 10 years, then gradually lower it down to 20% over the next decade or so.

* I just pulled all dollars and percents out of my ass for hypothetical purposes

The average salary for a casino dealer is $13.80 per hour in Louisiana and $200 tips per day.  That exceeds your target... assuming an 8 hour shift.

https://www.indeed.com/career/casino-dealer/salaries/LA

Edited December 12, 2020 by slorch

[Colonel Sanders 1343]

Vegas isn't really that important to LVS.  Most of its revenue comes from Macau and Singapore, and Anderson even talked about selling his Vegas properties a couple of months ago.  I think that's why he's trying to expand now, since he's not as worried about siphoning off revenue from his Vegas casinos. 

[David Dennison 18887]

Weed stores first, please.

Thanks.

[BradInATX 9208]

WTF brochachos I thought everyone on surly was a libertarian. Free the craps tables, bitch!

[SwanderedTalent 5761]

4 minutes ago, BradInATX said:

WTF brochachos I thought everyone on surly was a libertarian. Free the craps tables, bitch!

it's a race to the bottom, I say legalize it all-- pot, any other drug you can think of, prostitution, gambling, certain types of murder

I want my flying car, maybe this will speed things along.

Edited December 12, 2020 by SwanderedTalent

[Armybrat 40850]

Free boner pills too!

[BradInATX 9208]

it's a race to the bottom, I say legalize it all-- pot, any other drug you can think of, prostitution, gambling, certain types of murder
I want my flying car, maybe this will speed things along.

[956 Worldwide 34715]

5 minutes ago, SwanderedTalent said:

it's a race to the bottom, I say legalize it all-- pot, any other drug you can think of, prostitution, gambling, certain types of murder

I want my flying car, maybe this will speed things along.

[Murfdogg21 4412]

2 hours ago, SwanderedTalent said:

it's a race to the bottom, I say legalize it all-- pot, any other drug you can think of, prostitution, gambling, certain types of murder 

I was following along for a minute there

[HRSchenker 2268]

Casinos? Fuck that shit. Give us legal weed. 

[Macanudo 12979]

I'm all for casinos in Texas.  But I dont want Tillman Fertita anywhere fucking near it.

 

Fuck that guy.

[blacklab 11939]

Most studies done around places that have legalized gambling show an economic benefit, which ends up partially offset by the social problems it causes. It's not a panacea, but does move some money around in the economy.

That being said, right now Dallas and Houston have the social problems of gambling with the casinos that are a hour or two away, but none of the tax money or jobs the casinos create. It's a no brainer to allow gambling in Texas as we will get the economic benefit with a smaller social problem than if there were no casinos within a short drive. 

[Neonmoon 38129]

Guesses on which city would be best?

Beaumont, Galveston, or Corpus?

[MaybeACoordinator 8349]

23 hours ago, Neonmoon said:

Guesses on which city would be best?

Beaumont, Galveston, or Corpus?

What I've heard from politicos in some of the interested cities is that insofar as we're talking about Texas, it would need to be right on an interstate, which rules out Port Arthur, where many are desperate for casinos. They want to revive Treasure Island as a gambling spot, but Lake Charles is already there, and I-10 cuts right through Beaumont, so PA is kinda fucked, as usual. Galveston would be limited to Houston only; you might as well put a barge on the Ship Channel. Corpus would be South Texas only; maybe some north Mexican action, but if that's what you're after, better to put it in a Valley shithole that needs the money. Not fucking Padre, please. Jesus, the corruption and drugs that would flow in a Valley casino...it would be something to behold.  

[MaybeACoordinator 8349]

Some place like Fort Stockton might do well with one. Shithole, check. Middle of nowhere, check. Interstate, check. 

[Neonmoon 38129]

2 hours ago, MaybeACoordinator said:

What I've heard from politicos in some of the interested cities is that insofar as we're talking about Texas, it would need to be right on an interstate, which rules out Port Arthur, where many are desperate for casinos. They want to revive Treasure Island as a gambling spot, but Lake Charles is already there, and I-10 cuts right through Beaumont, so PA is kinda fucked, as usual. Galveston would be limited to Houston only; you might as well put a barge on the Ship Channel. Corpus would be South Texas only; maybe some north Mexican action, but if that's what you're after, better to put it in a Valley shithole that needs the money. Not fucking Padre, please. Jesus, the corruption and drugs that would flow in a Valley casino...it would be something to behold.  

I thought Corpus would work since it’s not that bad a drive from SA, Austin, Houston. 3 hour drive isn’t that bad. If you want it on an interstate, put it in Columbus. Short drive for all three big cities. Dallas/FW can still hit up OK casinos. 

There really isn’t a good city location in the center of Houston, SA, Austin, DFW.