Resorts World/Genting released the following statement from its general counsel and vice president of government affairs, Jessica Hoppe, on today's court ruling allowing the legislature to expand gambling in South Florida:
"Today’s appellate court ruling affirms that Florida's legislature and Governor are constitutionally empowered to enact gaming reform that includes the issuance of licenses for highly regulated destination resorts in Miami-Dade and Broward Counties,'' Hoppe said in a statement.
"The court has cleared the way for this legislation, and Genting is hopeful that the legislature will act in the best interests of the Florida economy in the upcoming session. Destination Resorts will result in billions of dollars of new investment in Florida, millions in new tax revenue that will yield positive impacts statewide, and as many as 100,000 new jobs."
The probability of a Genting casino in South Florida has its positives and negatives, but if it will pump billions of dollars into the economy and help Greater Miami, Miami Beach residents to invest in South Florida, then its a risk worth considering. The City of Miami Beach already has its title as one of the most popular tourist destinations in the US. This project will catapult the status of the entire South Florida landscape to new heights thereby attracting more international buyers and second home buyers for the inventory available in Greater Miami and Miami Beach areas like the South of Fifth Neighborhoods.
Posted by: Allan Kleer | October 07, 2011 at 02:50 PM
I think this is a great idea of for South Florida. Right now we don't have any destination resorts or gaming the directly help Miami or South Beach. The current resorts are more toward Fort Lauderdale and the Indians could care less about South Florida. I saw the pictures of the proposed Genting Resort and have to say it would really draw people here. The proposed resorts will create jobs and help South Florida.
Posted by: John Merrit | October 09, 2011 at 03:45 PM
This monster of vice will change the face and image of Miami for the worse forever.
Some people in South Florida are feeling so desperate that they are willing to grasp at the straw of gambling to help us weather this recession. But to legalize gambling is to sell our selves short. The purported economic benefits of gambling never materialize. Just look at the Florida Lottery.
The gambling interests cannot identify one city in U.S. that has really flourished after it become a casino resort. In Atlantic City there is urban blight within blocks of the casino's. Detroit and Biloxi are still wastelands. In Vegas, the unemployment rate is over 13% and it has the highest foreclosure rate in the nation.
The argument that we should legalize casinos and not be worried that casino's bring crime and social ills because we already have crime and social ills does not make sense. Under that argument, we should legalize brothels because we already have prostitution. And we should legalize heroin because we already have heroin addicts. And we should legalize child pornography studios because we already have child pornography here.
Not to mention that fact that at least one of Genting's main partners, according to this newspaper, has "been named by the U.S. Justice Department as a money launderer for the Chinese Triads’ organized-crime syndicate."
Vice, organized crime, one-horse, low-rent economy. Is this really the future we envision for our community and our kids?
We need to slow down the process and think a little more long term.
Posted by: TomHighway | October 21, 2011 at 08:00 AM
WARNING: You are going to get a really BIG surprise if Miami or South Florida gets those BIG casinos in the Destination Resort Bill.
I was actually in both Las Vegas and Atlantic City, NJ working for the casinos during the 1970's when the Las Vegas casino executives and the New Jersey politicians & New Jersey gaming commission made a lot of BIG "promises" to the people in New Jersey and Atlantic City about improving their economy and housing.
Guess what ? There is still high unemployment and slums in Atlantic City today ( 35+ years later ) while those million dollar casinos are making a lot of money. Please do not make the same mistake in Miami or South Florida !
Please contact all your public government officials and tell them to vote NO against these BIG casinos !
http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/default.aspx
http://www.flsenate.gov/
Thank you !!
Posted by: TEHO | November 08, 2011 at 02:18 AM