Fla. senate passes mega-casino bill

A state senate committee passed a bill on Monday could open the door for resort-style casinos in Florida.

The new gambling bill allows mega-casinos to be anywhere in Florida, but only after a county referendum. That means voters could decide if dog tracks and horse tracks in their counties can add slot machines.

The bill, sponsored by state Sen. Ellyn Bogdanoff, R-Fort Lauderdale, also calls for regulating Internet gaming cafes, which offer sweepstakes entries to customers who buy Internet time.

Tourist Randy Paul said he would have come to Central Florida even if other destinations in the state had luxury casinos.

"I think you get a different type of clientele here," said Paul.

But the head of the Central Florida Hotel and Lodging Association, Rich Maladecki, said he's worried that mega-casinos would hurt the local economy.

"Why should the state of Florida encourage short-term gains for the potential disaster in the long-term?" said Maladecki.

Under the controversial bill, three giant casinos will be allowed to set up shop in Florida.

They were originally slated for South Florida, but an amendment to the bill allows them anywhere in the state, pending local voter approval.

The builder will also have to spend at least $2 billion on construction.

Proponents said the casinos will create thousand of jobs and bring in millions to state coffers with a 10 percent tax on receipts.

"The hope is that this would create enough of a development and enough of a boom that they could get hired back," said Carol Miller, ABC of Florida.

International Drive hotel mogul Harris Rosen has spoken in support of the bill.

But opponents said casinos will be a black eye.

"Gambling, if that door is opened, will progress throughout the state," said Maladecki.

Disney, one of the bills main roadblocks, said in a statement: "We oppose the expansion of casino gambling in our state for many reasons, including the fact that it is inconsistent with Florida's brand as a family-friendly destination."

Attorney General Pam Bondi was against the bill.

"Many of the last drug trafficking cases that they made the money, was laundered through the casino," said Bondi.

Bondi said drug traffickers are using the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Tampa to launder their money.

According to a Baylor University study, crime data collected from 3,165 U.S. counties from 1977 through 1996, showed crime didn't budge when a casino first began operating.

But by the fifth year, crime jumped dramatically.

Robberies were up 136 percent, assaults nearly doubled, auto theft went up nearly 80 percent and rape climbed by 21 percent.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.