Members of the Georgia House and Senate study committees looking into gambling expansion recently held a third hearing on a proposal that would allow six destination casinos in five zones as well as parimutuel wagering on horse racing. Proponents said casinos could generate 0 million annually in new state tax revenue, and horse racing could bring in million in new tax revenue. The funds would help support the struggling HOPE scholarship program and early childhood pre-k classes.
At the hearing, Jay Dorris, president and chief executive officer at PCI Gaming, which operates Wind Creek casinos in Alabama and Florida for the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, said the tribe might be willing to pay up to 20 percent in gaming taxes if it were allowed to operate a Georgia casino. Currently the proposed tax rate is 12 percent. Gambling opponent Governor Nathan Deal has said he could change his mind regarding gambling if the industry agreed to a tax rate of 24 percent to 35 percent of gross revenue.
Other opponents of gambling, including representatives from the Georgia Baptist Convention, also spoke at the hearing. But most of the speakers were supporters of legalizing casinos and horse racing. Gaming companies, which have hired more than a dozen lobbyists to work the legislature, stressed their transparency, willingness to work with regulators and community involvement. Several noted they are not interested in tax incentives or financial giveaways. “We want to be good neighbors,” Dorris said.
