Thread by @JimRosicaFL

House Select Subcommittee on the Gaming Compact, chaired by Rep. @NickDiCeglie, has begun. Panel will hear one bill, HB 1A, which is the compact's implementing bill. Dealing first with amendments to conform bill to today's news.
Story here: tallahassee.com/story/news/loc…

Highlights from amendments here. Note changes in cuts to municipalities ("local government shares") from tribe.

Rep. Marie Woodson, a Hollywood Democrat, is arguing to preserve, even increase City of Hollywood's share. mentioning crime (and cost of policing) she says is caused by Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.

Woodson says "every single dollar is important" to the city, fears increased crime and decreased revenue available for public safety in Hollywood. Amendment sponsor says new shares reflect trying to be fair to other surrounding municipalities, such as Davie.

Woodson is trying to explain which municipalities abut the casino property and where in response to a question from @RAlexAndradeFL

@RAlexAndradeFL Hollywood city officials note that the Seminoles' land is in Hollywood (and advertised as such). Also notes having to deal with extra auto accidents bc of increased traffic going in and out of casino.

@RAlexAndradeFL Stopping to do a lobbyist check in the room. I spy:
- Ron Book
- Jason Unger of @GRLobby
- Jennifer J. Green of @LibertyPartners
Also here: @JohnGSowinski of @NoCasinos

Woodson's amendment to the amendment to keep shares as is fails. ("Hollywood needs to get the 55%.")

With all changes OK'd, we're now back on the compact implementing bill as amended.
We now hear from lawyer George Skibine, the Indian gaming law, who will give an general overview.

*expert

Rep. @AnnaForFlorida asks about enforcement "to ensure these is no corruption..."
Skibene (who is hard to hear as he is appearing remotely) mentions the state gambling commission contemplated in other pending legislation.

@AnnaForFlorida Rep. @VoteRandyFine asks Skibene if there is any chance that the federal gov't (Indian gaming regulators/IGRC/Interior) could reject this compact even after the Legislature approves it.
"There is a chance," Skibene says.
"Yes, it is possible," adds Seminole Gaming CEO Jim Allen

@AnnaForFlorida @VoteRandyFine Even more reason to OK it, Allen says, so that the Tribe can resume paying the state its share of blackjack money.
If feds nix sports betting, other parts of compact can be saved.
Says sports betting will be lion's share of new compact, however.

Tribe stopped paying state blackjack revenue after federal court found state broke exclusivity deal by allowing pari-mutuels to deal games that played too much like blackjack, Tribe has maintained.
Before that, paid state $2B, he says.

Allen also notes concessions Tribe has made, including not further challenging other card games at the pari-mutuels.
Basically, Allen says, if the deal goes south, "it's on us."
Note: The existing 2010 compact is still technically in effect. This new compact would supplant it.

Other concession is agreeing to take 40% of sports betting revenue and letting pari-mutuel partners take 60%, Allen says. That's after state takes its 10%.
Allen says Tribe believes it would have been in the right to take 60% but wanted to get deal done.

Allen also said he doesn't expect any casino expansion/added casinos anytime soon bc of COVID and the big guitar hotel recently built at Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood, itself a $1.5B project, according to reports.

Allen now talking about the designated player litigation, that they played like house banked games
Tried to deal in good faith with state to do something about it.
@FloridaDBPR didn't, he says: "To this day, the state has not done that, they've allowed these games to continue."

@FloridaDBPR Allen says there is a chance in a court challenge that the online/mobile component of sports betting could be struck down but Tribe could still be able to offer sports betting on site "but certainly the benefit is online...the activity is more based on mobile."

@FloridaDBPR ..."We recognize that is a question," Allen says as to whether a sports bet is actually placed in the Tribe's computer server or where the bettor is.

@FloridaDBPR They say server, but they may be told they're wrong: "We're taking that risk." For legal reasons, bets need to take place "on tribal land."

@FloridaDBPR Tribe’s D.C.-based lawyer, Joe Webster, who represents Seminoles before the Department of the Interior, tells subcommittee that feds evaluate compacts on the value that tribe is receiving.
Fine asks him if courts will rule against it. Webster says he's "confident" it's good.

.@JohnGSowinski of @NoCasinos now tells House members that compact "fails a few tests,"
Voter Control of Gambling amendment was passed with nearly 72% so voters said they want final say on any new games in Fla.

@JohnGSowinski @NoCasinos Sowinski notes that NJ put sports betting to a vote, where it passed, but NJ has nothing as strong as Voter Control of Gambling amdt.
"Reject the idea to just pass it out and let the courts figure it out. It's all our jobs to defend the state constitution...The voters spoke."

@JohnGSowinski @NoCasinos Sowinski on the decision announced earlier today to remove possibility of future added online gambling from the compact:
"A move in the right direction but doesn't solve the problem."

@JohnGSowinski @NoCasinos Tribe has submitted this explainer for the record:

@JohnGSowinski @NoCasinos cloudup.com/cqBPTlNSdoV

@JohnGSowinski @NoCasinos In debate on the bill, Democratic ranking member @Mike_Grieco of Miami Beach says he won't vote for the compact, says his constituents won't stand for it.
Also says not consistent to say a bet happens at server if online tax applies where buyer makes purchase, for example.

Chair DiCeglie also says he has a lot of concerns about the compact but will vote for the implementing bill today.
HB 1A clears the subcommittee. Vote tally will be posted later.

@threadreaderapp unroll