Sixteen well known casino developers, operators, vendors, hospitality and gaming companies have formed a coalition to lobby Georgia lawmakers to expand the state’s gambling laws next year. The group Caesars Entertainment, Bally’s, Hard Rock, Wynn Resorts and Gaming & Leisure Properties. Penn National Gaming, co-owner of Barstool Sports, also joined the effort, as well as Foxwoods Resort Casino, the Native American-owned firm behind Atlanta Motor Speedway’s proposed $1 billion destination resort.
Coalition members claim legalizing casino gambling in Georgia would lead to an economic boom, generating millions in property and sales tax revenue to boost the HOPE scholarship and the state’s pre-K program, which were Impacted by Covid-19.
Observers said the coalition companies are interested in downtown casino sites such as CNN Center and the planned $5 billion sports and entertainment district Centennial Yards. Meanwhile, Atlanta Motor Speedway officials are moving forward with plans to build an attraction in Hampton. Other sites in Augusta, Hartwell, Kingsland and Liberty County also have been proposed.
Multiple polls have shown a majority of Georgians approve expanding gambling laws and would support a measure on the general election ballot next November. But casino gambling In Georgia has its share of opponents, such as casino companies near coastal Georgia and in neighboring Alabama and North Carolina. Also, evangelicals and conservative religious groups like Faith and Freedom Coalition say casino and online gambling should remain illegal.
Lobbyists are likely to tell legislators a vote against gambling legislation “would be a vote against $5 billion in brick-and-mortar construction and 50,000 new jobs in Georgia,” said Rick Lackey, an Atlanta commercial real estate executive who has been marketing potential casino sites in Savannah and Midway.
