The city commission of Miami Beach recently voted unanimously to grant preliminary approval to two ordinances banning casinos or any other gambling facilities inside the city limits. State lawmakers considered allowing another casino license in South Florida, but the legislation didn’t make it out of the session. A South Florida casino license still could apply to other Miami suburbs.
Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine said, “Casinos are great for cities that have a challenging future, that don’t have a real vision. If you have a city that doesn’t have a future, that doesn’t know where it wants to go, I understand. But when you have a city like Miami Beach, why try to fix something that’s not broken?”
Commissioner Kristen Rosen Gonzalez said she would consider supporting a casino if revenue would go toward education and programs for elderly citizens. “Yes to no casinos,” she said.
