Thursday, October 25, 2012
Expanded table gaming could lead to new development at the National Harbor, reports the Washington Business Journal.
Could an MGM casino be headed to National Harbor? Quite possibly, if MGM International CEO James Murran gets his way. Murran told Washington Business Journal that if Question 7 passes in November his company may bid to build a casino in the National Harbor, a location Murran describes as ideal because of its sweeping views and proximity to three major airports. MGM did not bid on a Maryland casino in 2007, citing the state’s 67 percent tax rate on gambling revenue and required state ownership of video lottery terminals (VLTs), reports Washington Business Journal. However, if Question 7 passes, casinos would be permitted to own their own VLTs and the tax rate on table gambling revenue would drop to 25 percent. Not everyone is keen on seeing…
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
More transportation coming to Prince George’s mega-development.
An additional transit route has launched at National Harbor in Oxon Hill to shuttle passengers to and from spots in Washington, DC, and northern Virginia. The shuttle service opened Sept. 22, backed by Peterson Cos., the site's developer. Residents, workers, and hotel guests at the $4 billion development will get free rides on the shuttle, but all others will pay $10, reports The Washington Business Journal. Stops include the King St. Metro in Alexandria, Union Station, and the Old Post Office Pavillion. Public access to National Harbor has been an issue since it opened in 2008. The development also is served by a Metro bus route.
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Prince George's County Executive is pleased with bill that he said will create jobs in his county and the state.
It took almost a week to get done but a bill that expands gambling in Maryland to table games and a possible casino in Prince George's County was worth the wait for County Executive Rushern Baker. "I feel good about where we're going," said Baker early Wednesday, moments after the Senate adopted a gaming bill amended late Tuesday night by the House of Delegates. "It puts us on the way to not only creating jobs in Prince George's County and the state of Maryland but also revenues for both the state and the county," Baker said. The bill goes to the voters on the Nov. 6 ballot. Baker said he expects "a robust fight."
Comptroller says the November referendum will not be about legalization of slots but "will be about the type of government Marylanders want, and the kind of state we wish to leave to our kids."
Comptroller Peter Franchot said expanded gaming legislation scheduled to be signed into law Wednesday won't generate the revenue state officials promise. "There never was a fiscal or an economic rationale for reconvening the Maryland General Assembly for its third special session in less than a year," said Franchot in a statement released Wednesday. "Any revenues that will be generated by a new casino in Prince George’s County will take several years to materialize and, if the past is any indication, have been drastically overestimated by gambling supporters and legislative analysts." Gov. Martin O'Malley is expected to sign the bill into law after 10 a.m. Wednesday, just hours after the Senate passed a final version amended by the House …
Senate adopts gaming bill amended by the House but ends the session without bringing dog bite litigation bill to the floor for a vote.
Maryland voters can add expanded gaming to the list of referendum issues they'll be asked to vote on in November. The Senate early Wednesday morning voted 32-14 to accept a gaming bill amended hours earlier by the House of Delegates. But a bill meant to overturn a controversial Court of Appeals ruling that declared pit bulls an inherently dangerous dog breed failed after Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller said the House gave senators a "take it or leave it" ultimatum. "The House said take our amendments or nothing and the two committees weren't able to work out an agreement," said Miller. The Senate was able to reach a separate peace on the gaming bill where senators quickly agreed to all of the amendments delegates put on the bill …
Saturday, August 11, 2012
"Concerns are everywhere," said Del. Frank Turner, chairman of the House Ways and Means subcommittee on Gaming Law and Regulation.
A bill authorizing gambling expansion in Maryland will likely be amended, according to the chairman of the House subcommittee that is holding hearings on the legislation. Del. Frank Turner, a Howard County Democrat, initially characterized possible changes to the bill passed Friday by the Senate as minor. "Mostly it's a lot of tweaks," said Turner, the chairman of the House Ways and Means subcommittee on Gaming Law and Regulation. When asked what concerns his committee might have, Turner suggested the changes might be more substantive. "I think there are concerns everywhere," Turner said. "There are all kinds of concerns and ideas. Some will be germane and others won't. I think we're going to make it a better work product than what the …
Friday, August 10, 2012
Focus shifts to the House on Monday where both bills will be debated and voted on.
Focus on legislation to expand gambling and overturn a controversial Court of Appeals ruling on pit bulls shifts to the House of Delegates. A House Ways and Means subcommittee will meet Saturday to discuss legislation that would open Maryland casinos to table games and could possibly legalize a sixth casino in Prince George's County if voters approve the law in a referendum vote in November. The Senate adopted four amendments to the bill including a $500 annual license fee per table game that would go to a gambling addiction fund and requiring that one member of the gaming commission come from a jurisdiction with a video lottery facility. A number of the 23 amendments rejected by the Senate involved earmarking parts of the money to roll …
Friday, July 27, 2012
O'Malley says session, which begins on August 9, will be about job creation and funding for schools.
UPDATED (2:57 p.m.)—Gov. Martin O'Malley Friday announced he will call the General Assembly back to Annapolis for a special session on the issues of gambling and the creation of a sixth casino. "This is an issue about jobs," O'Malley said. "This is an issue about maximizing revenues from gaming." A bill was not available at the time of the morning news conference. O'Malley said it needed tweaking and would likely be made public shortly before the beginning of the special session. O'Malley, House Speaker Michael Busch and Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller all said the bill would create about 2,500 jobs from the legalization of table games and generate $100 million for schools. Sen. E.J. Pipkin Friday afternoon blasted O'Malley for …
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Baltimore City delegation isn't set on special session for expanded gambling yet, could hinder plans for a Prince George's County casino.
This afternoon word broke that a deal was close for a Special Session of the Maryland General Assembly to put expanded table gambling up to the voters, but that may not be the case. Del. Shawn Z. Tarrant, D-District 40, who was at meetings today with House Speaker Michael Busch, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and 10 other members of the delegation said a deal hasn’t been brokered. "No I haven’t heard that, and to be quite honest with you, the Baltimore delegation hasn’t been pitched anything of any value to make us vote for this," Tarrant said. Talks of a special session have continued since the spring, after the General Assembly failed to come to a consensus on expanding gambling particularly into Prince George's County where politicians…
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Del. Maggie McIntosh said it's up to members of the Baltimore City delegation to decide whether a new casino in Prince George's County will go to voters.
Whether voters will get the chance to approve a casino in Prince George’s County depends on the members of the Baltimore City delegation, according to Del. Maggie McIntosh. McIntosh, part of the Democratic leadership in the House of Delegates, said city legislators would vote to allow a sixth slots casino if they can be convinced it won’t hurt Baltimore’s proposed casino. "Baltimore City delegates are not going to vote for the sixth site if it short changes Baltimore City," McIntosh said. "They can’t pass it without our votes." McIntosh, who represents much of North Baltimore, made her comments when speaking to residents at the York Road Partnership meeting on Wednesday. Gov. Martin O'Malley was set to call a special session on July 9, …
Red White and Blue
12:55 pm on Thursday, October 25, 2012
I for one will be voting for the passing of #7 and no on all the others and no to every democrat in office they are part of the problem and offer no solutions except their favorite raise taxes, well they keep going up and we get nothing from it, raised liquor tax, sales tax, just about everything has been raised all thanks to democrats and the people keep for the same party over and over it makes… more ›