After about seven hours of intense public debate, members of the St. Tammany Parish council in Louisiana voted 8-6 for a referendum on a proposed casino in Slidell.
In November, parish voters will be asked if they’re for or against reversing a 1996 ban on casino gambling. A majority “yes” vote would allow a $325 million casino resort on a tract near Lake Pontchartrain. The venue would be developed by Los Angeles-based Pacific Peninsula Entertainment (P2E).
The parish council vote was a significant step toward allowing P2E to move its riverboat license from Bossier City, where it operated DiamondJacks casino, which closed due to Covid-19. The Louisiana Gaming Control Board still must approve moving the license.
Supporters said a casino would provide much-needed tax revenue and jobs. They noted the developers and the parish’s economic development agency negotiated an agreement directing 5 percent of net gaming revenue to a variety of governmental agencies. P2E has projected revenue of $9 million annually. In addition, supporters noted a local casino would keep Louisiana gamblers from spending their money at Mississippi Coastal casinos.
Opponents said a casino would bring crime and traffic increases, thereby erasing any benefits. Several Slidell area pastors who have opposed the casino begged the council to delay the vote.
Reverend John Raymond, who filed a lawsuit to keep the proposal off the ballot, said the casino will turn Slidell into “a mecca of immorality, crime and financial fallout.” He said Western St. Tammany would benefit financially, while the east would not be as impacted by the casino’s societal ills, so voters would have no reason to vote no. They should not “be allowed to pimp out their sister in Slidell for 5 percent left on the bedside table,” Raymond said.
Some Slidell business owners also asked for a delay. For example, Doug Reker, owner of the Wine Market, worried how a casino would affect his 20 employees. On slow days, “give away free food,” he commented. He stated business owners would be willing to pay for a study of the casino’s economic impact.
Opponents gained an important ally when St. Tammany Parish Sheriff Randy Smith and Slidell Police Chief Randy Fandal urged the council not to approve a voter referendum. They said not enough is known about the impact on crime. The Slidell City Council also asked the council to delay its vote to allow for an independent economic impact study.
Smith said, “You’ll see an uptick in criminal activity. We see what’s going on across the lake and other areas, a high rate of violent crime. We don’t need that.”
Smith called promises of revenue “smoke and mirrors” and said he understands the parish’s desire to bring in more money, but a casino is the wrong way to get it. “I’m not against gambling, we just don’t want it here in St. Tammany Parish and especially Slidell. Go to New Orleans, go to Mississippi. They’re established. They have casinos and folks here support those casinos,” Smith stated.
He acknowledged P2E officials had spoken to him about paying for a substation near the casino to allow increased patrols in the area, including nearby subdivisions. A P2E spokesperson said, “We are committed to fully funding a new sheriff outpost with 24/7 patrols for surrounding neighborhoods to provide additional law enforcement resources to the area. We have a strong working relationship with law enforcement in every jurisdiction where we operate. If granted the opportunity, we will partner with the sheriff to alleviate his concerns.”
