Vegas Style Casinos in Atlanta?
The Atlanta Business Chronicle is reporting that an anonymous group of downtown business leaders had a study done to see what impact a Vegas style casino would have in downtown Atlanta. Since this article is on their “pay-side” of their web-site and I can not post links I’ll give you the fine points.
The Advantages
- $676 million – $1.67 billion in economic impact. I guess the large gap is just in case Bill Campbell gets reelected.
- $135.3 million in tax revenue. They could fix the sewer!
- 10,800 jobs
- $3 million in the city’s hotel-motel tax fund.
The Disadvantages
- The cost to the city $320 million a year
- Increased crime – In other cities the increased crime has lasted 2 to 3 years and then it declines back to normal. They say this is the learning curve for law enforcement.
- Gambling dependence. Nanny State!
Apparently Atlanta is losing the convention dollars to cities with Casinos. One blogger made a great point when he stated "“The conventioneers are tired of Atlanta's strip clubs and hookers.”
I know this is a long shot but they even picked out a site, “The Gulch.” But, in a city rampant with “civil rights leaders” who I am sure will say that this will be a burden on the poor, and religious zealots who think the city will be swallowed up by fire if one poker hand is played, this is a long shot at best.
Like my good friend Russ says we are a free country unless you want to gamble with your own money. We can dream though….we can dream dammit!!!