Indian tribe seeks bingo slot machines at Jacksonville Greyhound

[thelakelander]

The Poarch Band of Creek Indians, one of three federally recognized Indian tribes with land trusts in Florida, wants to bring slot-style bingo machines to Jacksonville. Opposition is expected from Disney and the Seminole Tribe.

TALLAHASSEE | Slot-style bingo machines could be coming to Jacksonville Greyhound Racing, and two other Florida facilities, under a plan potentially worth $2 billion in gaming revenue over the next decade.

The proposal was crafted by the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, one of three federally recognized Indian tribes with land trusts in Florida. The tribe controls options on eight pari-mutuel permits at Jacksonville Greyhound Racing, Creek Entertainment Gretna near Tallahassee and Pensacola Greyhound Track.

The tribe proposes to bring 8,400 of the slot-style bingo machines to the three facilities, including 5,000 to Jacksonville, but needs formal approval from the state. The machines offer electronic bingo games that resemble traditional Las Vegas-style machines.

Read more at Jacksonville.com: http://jacksonville.com/news/florida/2013-10-20/story/indian-tribe-seeks-bingo-slot-machines-jacksonville-greyhound#ixzz2iM475hTY

[Tacachale]

It will be interesting to see how this shakes out. The current compact between the state and the Seminole Tribe of Florida gives the Seminole Tribe exclusive rights to Vegas-style gaming (and the Miccosukee if they chose to pursue it). The compact has to be re-negotiated periodically, but the state has only ever dealt with the tribes that actually live here. The Poarch Band have investments here, but they live in Alabama.

Then of course, you have Disney, who have successfully kept even poker out of Orlando and don't want anything of the kind in Florida. I wonder how an Alabama Indian tribe will stack up against Disney in the legal arena, even if the state agreed to negotiate with them.