Maryland voters approved 2,500 slot machines in the general vicinity of Route 50 and Route 589, just west of Ocean City, Maryland. And local jurisdictions and neighborhoods have been squabbling furiously about who would get the impact fees associated with those slots.
But William M. Rickman Jr. plans to have only 800 machines at his Ocean Downs racecourse on Route 589.
Mr. Rickman is the only bidder for the Maryland slots casino license in Worcester County. He paid the $4.5 million fee required for that number of machines this week. Mr. Rickman, a developer who lives in Montgomery County, also owns the Delaware Park racetrack and casino.
If Maryland accepts the bid, Mr. Rickman would be required to invest at least $25.1 million in construction and improvements at Ocean Downs.
The 800 slots requested at Ocean Downs was not as disappointing as the bidding at three other sites in Maryland. Entrepreneurs asked for only 500 slot machines in Baltimore, far short of the 3,750 authorized in November's referendum, and only 500 in Cecil County, which was authorized for 2,500.
Companies seeking the slot-machine licenses at Laurel Park racetrack in Anne Arundel County, and at Rocky Gap in Western Maryland, apparently failed to pay the required fees. As a result, it is highly unlikely that their bids will be considered, even if they pay the fees late.
The one bright spot in the week's slot-machine action was the surprise bid by The Cordish Companies of Baltimore for 4,750 slots at Arundel Mills mall, just up the Baltimore-Washington Parkway from Laurel Park. Magna Entertainment, owner of the Pimlico and Laurel racetracks, apparently failed to submit a legal bid and pay the required fee.
Feb 5, 2009
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I hope they don't get any. I am opposed to slots and casinos in MD.
ReplyDeleteSo you're opposed to funding education with money that's currently already going to schools in surrounding states via slots?
ReplyDeleteYeah, that makes sense, NOT!
The moral issue of gambling is far behind us.
The only thing left is, how can we fund our educations system as well as WV, DE, & PA, all of which have slots and are draining money from Maryland.
If this isn't a no-brainer, I don't know what is.
Slots is not a moral issue. Slots is a quality-of-life issue. Slots sucks up all the disposable income and leaves other businesses (restaurants, stores, hotels) gasping for customers. Slot machines are only good for the pawn-shop industry.
ReplyDeleteSlots take food out of the mouths of gamblers' children. Slots turns middle-class people into poor people.
Slots attract crime. Slot can turn a nice neighborhood into a seamy place that you want to avoid.