With all of the discussion and concerns over the state budget and acceptance of economic stimulus money one large issue on the minds of conservatives at the Texas Capitol is what will happen with gambling.
Battle lines have been drawn between the various interests on whether to expand gaming to include casinos slot machines at horse racing tracks Indian tribes to conduct gaming or even expand the state lottery to the gas pump.
Adding to the policy discussion includes a newly added interest from important state officials with a family business interest and an interesting choice for venue of the debate.
For several years now casino owners continue to attempt to establish a market for their industry in Texas. These efforts are separate from already existing gambling on some Indian reservations in Texas and neighboring states. The casino interests have placed their bets on a bill by State Representative Jose Menendez to create licenses for nine casinos in Texas and subsequent rules similar to those in Nevada for gaming.
Lobbyists for the casino industry have circulated a proposal to begin a graduated roll-out of these nine casinos. Their first proposal is for the state to issue a license for a casino in the Galveston area. This site is strategic according to the lobbyists as it would help with the lingering economic effects from Hurricane Ike. To add to the intrigue Speaker Pro Tempore Craig Eiland represents the Galveston area.
The horse racing industry has entered the race with a bill by State Representative Yvonne Gonzalez Toureilles to allow for video lottery terminals or slot machines at horse racing tracks. It is no secret that Texas race tracks are hurting for business. Neighboring states have enacted liberal gaming laws and thus lured the business from Texas.
The larger purses generated from additional gaming at the tracks are a draw for any business person. However the real movement of this bill should come from the fact the family of Speaker Joe Straus are the primary investors in the Retama Park Race Track in Selma.
Bryan Brown CEO at Retama Park was quoted in the San Antonio Business Journal last November stating Every state around us now has slot machines or poker machines. So we are surrounded. And what that does is takes horses out of our state and brings them to those states where the (track) purses are higher and the horsemen can earn more money." Brown says Texas could keep its horses and generate upwards of a billion dollars annually if lawmakers here would also vote to legalize the gaming machines at its horse tracks.
The third gambling option before the Legislature comes from various Indian groups aggressively pursuing legislation to either expand gaming at facilities or stop the expansion of gaming with competing interests. The Tigua Indians in El Paso Kickapoo Indians in Eagle Pass and the Alabama-Coushatta tribe in Polk County hope to allow for additional gaming.
The opposition of all efforts to expand gambling continues to grow with a long list of opponents including:
· Baptist General Convention of Texas
· Concerned Women of America
· Eagle Forum
· Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission
· Focus on the Family
· Free Market Foundation
· NAACP
· Paseo del Rio - San Antonio
· Southern Baptist Convention
· Southern Baptist Convention of Texas
· Texas Catholic Conference
· Texas Conference of Churches
· Texas District & County Attorneys Association
· Texas Freedom & Justice Foundation
· Texas Freedom Market
· Texas Impact
Each of the House bills filed has been referred by the Speaker to the House Committee on Licensing and Administrative Procedures. The chairman of the Committee on Licensing and Administrative Procedures is State Representative Ed Kuempel. Kuempel represents an area north of San Antonio including Selma where Retama Park is located.
With all of the discussion and concerns over the state budget and acceptance of economic stimulus money one large issue on the minds of conservatives at the Texas Capitol is what will happen with gambling.
Battle lines have been drawn between the various interests on whether to expand gaming to include casinos slot machines at horse racing tracks Indian tribes to conduct gaming or even expand the state lottery to the gas pump.
Adding to the policy discussion includes a newly added interest from important state officials with a family business interest and an interesting choice for venue of the debate.
For several years now casino owners continue to attempt to establish a market for their industry in Texas. These efforts are separate from already existing gambling on some Indian reservations in Texas and neighboring states. The casino interests have placed their bets on a bill by State Representative Jose Menendez to create licenses for nine casinos in Texas and subsequent rules similar to those in Nevada for gaming.
Lobbyists for the casino industry have circulated a proposal to begin a graduated roll-out of these nine casinos. Their first proposal is for the state to issue a license for a casino in the Galveston area. This site is strategic according to the lobbyists as it would help with the lingering economic effects from Hurricane Ike. To add to the intrigue Speaker Pro Tempore Craig Eiland represents the Galveston area.
The horse racing industry has entered the race with a bill by State Representative Yvonne Gonzalez Toureilles to allow for video lottery terminals or slot machines at horse racing tracks. It is no secret that Texas race tracks are hurting for business. Neighboring states have enacted liberal gaming laws and thus lured the business from Texas.
The larger purses generated from additional gaming at the tracks are a draw for any business person. However the real movement of this bill should come from the fact the family of Speaker Joe Straus are the primary investors in the Retama Park Race Track in Selma.
Bryan Brown CEO at Retama Park was quoted in the San Antonio Business Journal last November stating Every state around us now has slot machines or poker machines. So we are surrounded. And what that does is takes horses out of our state and brings them to those states where the (track) purses are higher and the horsemen can earn more money." Brown says Texas could keep its horses and generate upwards of a billion dollars annually if lawmakers here would also vote to legalize the gaming machines at its horse tracks.
The third gambling option before the Legislature comes from various Indian groups aggressively pursuing legislation to either expand gaming at facilities or stop the expansion of gaming with competing interests. The Tigua Indians in El Paso Kickapoo Indians in Eagle Pass and the Alabama-Coushatta tribe in Polk County hope to allow for additional gaming.
The opposition of all efforts to expand gambling continues to grow with a long list of opponents including:
· Baptist General Convention of Texas
· Concerned Women of America
· Eagle Forum
· Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission
· Focus on the Family
· Free Market Foundation
· NAACP
· Paseo del Rio - San Antonio
· Southern Baptist Convention
· Southern Baptist Convention of Texas
· Texas Catholic Conference
· Texas Conference of Churches
· Texas District & County Attorneys Association
· Texas Freedom & Justice Foundation
· Texas Freedom Market
· Texas Impact
Each of the House bills filed has been referred by the Speaker to the House Committee on Licensing and Administrative Procedures. The chairman of the Committee on Licensing and Administrative Procedures is State Representative Ed Kuempel. Kuempel represents an area north of San Antonio including Selma where Retama Park is located.
