Elections = Hope to Minnesota Gambling Expansion
Written by Roger S | Saturday, August 28th, 2010
Gambling proponents in Minnesota are hopeful that the gambling industry will expand significantly after the mid-term elections in November, considering the candidates that are running this time around.
Two out of the three candidates hoping to become governor of the state have clear agendas to expand casinos in the state if they win the post, while another is known to have supported casino expansion in the past.
Republican Tom Emmer is the least transparent about his gambling stand. His current position is not to expand Minnesotan casinos, although he has sponsored this move in the past. Not wanting to burn any bridges if he becomes governor, Emmer has said that he would be open to examining any ideas that present themselves, including gambling issues.
The Democratic candidate, Mark Dayton, wants to build new casinos in locations such as the Minneapolis-St. Paul international airport or the Mall of America. Dayton has already been met with opposition to these plans from Indian tribes in the area who are afraid of the competition that new casinos will bring them. Dayton would need to reach a compromise to appease the tribes should be become governor and go ahead with his plans.
The third candidate for governor, who is clearly pro-gambling, is the independent Tom Horner, who has laid out specific plans to allow slot machines at the two existing racetracks in the state. Horner has stated that the money generated by these slots would close the growing gap in Minnesota’s budget. In a bid to buy himself even more votes, Horner also said that gambling revenues would be used to build a new stadium for the Minnesota Vikings.
The November mid-term elections should prove to be very interesting for gamblers in the state.
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· Written by Roger S · Filed Under Poker Gossip · Comments Off
