Senate passes plan for Seminole gambling
Proposal would allow craps, blackjack, roulette at seven casinos

By Josh Hafenbrack
Tallahassee Bureau
South Florida Sun Sentinel
Copyright © 2009, South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Thursday, April 16, 2009

TALLAHASSEE: The Florida Senate passed its Seminole casino gambling bill on a 27-11 vote, with conservative Republicans and two South Florida Democrats with big political ambitions voting against it.

The Senate plan would allow the Seminoles to install full casinos with blackjack, craps and roulette at its seven resorts, including Hard Rock in Hollywood.

In exchange, the tribe would pay the state at least $400 million a year -- enough to pay for 27,000 teachers, said bill sponsor Sen. Dennis Jones, R-Seminole.

The gambling issue is a top priority of Gov. Charlie Crist. His 2007 deal with the Seminoles, which allowed the tribe to have blackjack and slots, was invalidated by the state Supreme Court because the governor bypassed the Legislature.

The House takes up its Seminole gambling plan Friday. That chamber's proposal would limit the tribe to slots and order blackjack tables shut down, in exchange for at least $100 million a year.

One "no" vote today was Sen. Dan Gelber, D- Miami Beach, who is running for an open U.S. Senate seat in 2010. Another was Sen. Dave Aronberg, D- Greenacres, who is eyeing a bid for state attorney general.

The all-out casino gambling expansion on tribal lands is "too unpalatable at this point," said Gelber.