Will Atlanta’s casino gamble pay off?

[RobWin]

Will Atlanta’s casino gamble pay off?

By RACHEL TOBIN RAMOS

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Sunday, March 08, 2009

Can a casino at Underground Atlanta create a powerful economic engine for Atlanta?

The answer depends on where you cast your bet.

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[RobWin]

ATL’s casino gamble
Underground magnet: Council and mayor get behind gaming, an industry holding its own against the recession in some U.S. cities but stumbling in others.

By Rachel Tobin Ramos

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Sunday, March 08, 2009

Can a casino at Underground Atlanta create a powerful economic engine for Atlanta?

The answer depends on where you cast your bet.

Some casinos in rural Southern states such as Alabama and Mississippi have turned farmland into money crops with hotels and casinos sprouting jobs and millions of tourists. Tunica, Miss., is now the third largest casino destination in the United States, with nine casinos. And new casinos in Pennsylvania are performing well.

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[RobWin]

Council backs casino idea for Underground
Unanimous vote: Atlanta betting its support will carry weight with Lottery Board.

By Eric Stirgus

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Tuesday, March 03, 2009

The Atlanta City Council voted Monday to take a gamble in support of a plan to put video lottery terminals in Underground Atlanta, a venture that proponents say will initially bring about $350 million a year to the Atlanta region.

The City Council voted 10-0 to endorse the plans, becoming the most prominent group so far to weigh in on the proposal. Mayor Shirley Franklin has already written developers of her own support.

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[NASHVEGAS]

No table games, I assume unless they changed state law....location,location,location but at least The Varsity would be the perfect place for a tourist pit stop.

Would be nice if they could do it right (including location) but the conservatives (with money) I assume may put up a challenge. Interesting read

[pokeraddict]

It appears at this point the state lottery board will be able to allow lottery machines based on current law so if that is really the case the fundies will not have a say anyway. I'm from the suburbs of Atlanta and Rob Pitts has been trying to get this for 20 years. It is the only hope for Underground Atlanta.

The casino will be very close to how Harrah's Cherokee is if it actually is built. It will have a few more rooms, a few less machines but will be entirely video and slots. I would assume Atlanta would allow alcohol unlike Cherokee and certainly smoking would be allowed in most if not all of it as Georgia's smoking ban would not cover an establishment not open to minors. I'm sure the cities of Cherokee, Biloxi and Tunica aren't happy about this.

[Mousey]

If they were talking about 'real' slots, I might be interested. But VLTs?? Puh-leeeze.... why bother? The bingo slots here in Ala. won't get my money and neither will VLTs in Ga.

this 'pretend' gambling inside imitation casinos... slots that aren't slots ... VP that isn't VP... why do they make these damn things?

**wanders off grumbling about politicians and the bible belt**

[Westland Bowl]

........It will have a few more rooms, a few less machines but will be entirely video and slots......

A casino ain't a real casino unless it has table games!

[pokeraddict]

From reading about the VLT casino it would basically be an all video and slot casino. They would only call it VLT to get around the gaming laws because it seems the lottery boeard thinks if they call it video lottery it falls under the existing laws. If the lottery board can force this through it would be a lot easier than getting a statewide vote. I picture this casino being just like Cherokee minus the "dealer" chip games that are still video.

This would also just be step one. We all know how this goes. Start small and get approval for more and more as years go by.