THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, January 26, 1995 TAG: 9501260397
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ROBERT LITTLE, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium: 70 lines
Want thousands of jobs, millions of dollars, tourists packing the streets and a daring night on the town? Try riverboat gambling.
Want layoffs at the shipyards, less money in your pocket, slick lobbyists running the government and maybe a little compulsive gambling problem?
Well, they say you might get that, too.
The debate over riverboat gambling, currently brewing in boardrooms, committee rooms and living rooms around Virginia as the General Assembly considers putting the issue to a statewide referendum, played out at the University of Richmond's T.C. Williams School of Law Wednesday night.
Proponents and opponents, appearing at a school-sponsored debate, gnashed through the pros and cons of a proposal characterized as both the end of Virginia's innocence and the magic potion for its economic woes.
Del. Jerrauld C. Jones, D-Norfolk, called riverboat gambling ``something to help replace all the jobs being lost.''
Del. J. Randy Forbes, R-Chesapeake, called it ``simply an effort to expand the market for the gambling industry.''
``This is probably the most important issue in Virginia for many years,'' said Forbes. ``I think this issue is going to define Virginia.''
Define it as what?
The two supporters of riverboat gambling - Jones and Michael D. Rose, chairman of a casino operator called Promus Companies - said floating casinos would mean jobs, tax revenue and economic development. And they brought numbers: 8,000 new employees making an average of $23,000 a year; up to $700 million in new investments in Virginia; $42 million in local taxes; $81 million in state taxes.
``If we were talking about attracting a new symphony or building a new theater . . . the debate would take a different turn,'' said Rose. ``Yet all of these are forms of entertainment.''
Opponents of riverboat gambling - Forbes and Robert Goodman, director of the United States Gambling Study - said supporters are playing a shell game with the state's economy. Sure, casinos will make a lot of money, they said. But it's going to come from somewhere.
``Yes, you can get people to gamble. And yes, the state will get more gambling revenue,'' said Goodman. ``But it will come from restaurants, sports events, movie theaters, furniture sales, clothing sales, automobile sales.''
Think gambling leads to more crime? Jones said it reduced crime in Illinois and Iowa by helping to eliminate urban blight.
Think compulsive gambling would become a problem? Rose said that happens whether gambling is legal or not.
``The debate is not whether to legalize gambling in Virginia - you've already done that'' with the lottery and horse racing, said Rose.
``A year from now, or two years from now, when they're back up here with dockside gambling, they'll be saying the same thing,'' said Forbes.
Why not let the voters decide in referendum? Jones asked Forbes. ``Why don't you trust the same people you trust to elect you?''
``We can't have a referendum to overturn this if we're wrong,'' said Forbes.
In the end, sentiment swayed against the floating casinos. Ballots collected after the debate showed 55 percent of the audience against riverboat gambling, 45 percent in favor. About 115 people were polled.
``There's no groundswell from the people of Virginia for this,'' said Forbes. ``This is simply an effort to expand the market for the gambling industry.''
Rose disagreed. ``My industry is not out there creating a market,'' he said. ``It is responding to a market demand.''
KEYWORDS: RIVERBOAT GAMBLING GENERAL ASSEMBLY by CNB