A major part of soon to be former Governor Bobby “Haircut” Ehrlich’s vision for Maryland was slots at horse tracks in Maryland. Some in the General Assembly agreed with him.
Slots were touted as a major source of new revenues. Slots at racetracks are basically, in my opinion, a bailout for a fading “horse” industry in Maryland. By putting slots at racetracks, “customers” may be drawn to those tracks simply to play slots. Maybe while they are there, these “customers” may bet on horse racing as well. If so, the industry is propped up for a while and the State makes a little money.
Governor Elect O’Malley, forget the racetracks. If Maryland is going to legalize slots, we should just go for it. Legalize casino gambling. My thought is that I am extremely unlikely to go to Laurel Racetrack to play slot machines. But I may very well go a casino to spend a few bucks and have a good time.
A casino can be a destination for many people who really have no interest is visiting a horse track. A few ideal locations for a casino come to my mind right away: the Inner Harbor in Baltimore; National Harbor in Prince George’s County; and maybe Rocky Gap/Cumberland in Western Maryland. The Inner Harbor is and National Harbor will be tourist attractions. Casinos at these locations will draw larger crowds and can provide a nice amenity. A casino at Rocky Gap/Cumberland could serve as an ending destination in and of itself, and could provide an economic shot in the arm for Western Maryland.
Friday, December 29, 2006
WELCOME!
Welcome to a new experiment for me. This blog is going to try to focus on Maryland State Politics that I find interesting. I am planning to write about Governor-Elect Martin O'Malley a lot. I also plan to write about other interesting politicians in Maryland. It may be eclectic at times, but bear with me.
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