All Aboard Florida and Miami Casino interests

[spuwho]

According to this Orlando blog, (unverified) there are some issues being raised about the proximity of a planned casino in central Miami with the new FEC train station. How much foundation there is with Disney's "concerns" is unclear.

The following is from the West Orlando News via a blog posting.

http://fairsportivesports.blogspot.com/2012/12/all-aboardthe-casino-express-west.html

It is known this is where All Aboard Florida wants their Miami station. Back in June, even Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Giminez jumped on board with it responding to a question asking what would be the best location. “It would have to be next to the government center,” he said.

And that’s what makes this whole project more interesting. This location is just blocks away from the Miami Herald site that Malaysian gambling giant Genting is hoping to develop into its mega casino resort. Genting has spent millions of dollars lobbying elected officials throughout Florida and is currently in negotiations with the state legislature as they revisit gambling in Florida.

Genting is now waiting for the state legislature’s planned two-year look at gambling with hopes that Florida will legalize destination casinos, allowing the company to build on the prime waterfront property. That would time the construction of the mega casino resort right in line with the opening of the new All Aboard Florida service, thus providing a direct train route to pull Central Florida tourists to the casino.

Walt Disney World and other Central Florida tourism interests may soon have issues with this proposal as it steams toward reality. Walt Disney World, whose four theme parks draw more than 45 million visitors a year to Orlando, has made preventing “destination” casinos a top priority. The Walt Disney Company is one of the most brand-protective companies and does not want to jeopardize its family-friendly reputation by any association with casinos. The company’s cruise line is the only major operator to sail ships without onboard casinos. Disney is also a major player in the Florida Chamber of Commerce.

Walt Disney World has “spoken to All Aboard Florida and are learning more about their proposal,” but does not know when they will have more from All Aboard Florida according to representatives. So one last question remains: where will Disney come down on the train? Will the potential uptick of South Florida tourist dollars outweigh a direct link to Genting Casinos?

All Aboard Florida could very well turn into the Casino Express ushering travelers and money right out of Orlando.

[tufsu1]

it is more than "a few blocks" between the proposed station location and the old Herald site....its almost 1 mile and across I-395....the Herald is on the bay at NE 14th St....and the proposed station would be 4-5 blocks from the bay at NW 5th St.

[thelakelander]

It would be a couple of stops away via a transfer to metromover.  However, I doubt Disney kills AAF.

[Tacachale]

Either way, that casino is an expensive barrel of pork.

[thelakelander]

Gambling deal struck in South Florida

Gambling operator Resorts World Omni has struck a deal with Gulfstream Park in the hope of getting slot machines rolling at a downtown Miami property.

The proposal is a dramatically scaled-back version of the glamorous casino resort once pitched to --- and rejected by --- Florida lawmakers, and it hinges on a controversial permit at the horse track.

The agreement between Resorts World, a division of Malaysia-based Genting Group, and Gulfstream, along with breeders and thoroughbred horse owners and trainers, involves relocating a permit to the Miami bayfront property purchased by Genting in 2011 for $236 million.

full article: http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/blog/morning-edition/2014/01/gambling-deal-struck-in-south-florida.html