The city of Gretna, Florida plus operators of the Palm Beach Kennel Club, Melbourne Greyhound Park and Naples Fort Myers Greyhound Racing and Poker in Bonita Springs recently filed briefs with the Florida Supreme Court which will determine if slots may be allowed without legislative approval at Gretna Racing in Gadsden County, which previously filed a similar brief. The racetrack is challenging a 1st District Court of Appeal decision that said slots may not be allowed outside South Florida even if local voters approve them. Voters in Gadsden County as well as Palm Beach, Lee, Brevard, Hamilton and Washington counties have approved slots referendums.
In November 2014 the Palm Beach Kennel Club was denied a slots license by the state Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering. The club is challenging that decision in the 4th District Court of Appeal.
According to its brief, the city of Gretna said the county slots referendum is already effective and does not required need further legislative action to authorize it. However, it asks the court to find that Gadsden County’s referendum was valid “and, in turn, Gretna Racing, LLC properly submitted its application for a license to conduct slot machine operations at its facility.”
The brief also notes that adding slots at the racetrack, operated by the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, will boost the local economy and create jobs, and that the facility eventually would offer a convention hotel, restaurants and retail. Gadsden County is one of the poorest in the state and the only county with a majority black population.
The Florida Supreme Court case involves the 1st District Court of Appeal’s ruling last May that slot machines were allowed at the racetrack, followed by a rehearing requested by Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi in which the court ruled 2-1 against the track. A judge who had decided in favor of the track in the original case retired and was replaced by one who ruled against it.
