Lawmakers Reach Deal on Casinos
By: Deanna King
Updated: March 15, 2012
New York State is a giant step closer to expanding casino gambling. Lawmakers reached a deal overnight to amend the state constitution. It's news local Racinos in Farmington and Batavia have been waiting for. The identical bill has to pass two consecutive legislative bodies. Then, there will be a public vote. The deal will allow seven additional casinos to open in New York. Steve Martin of The Fingerlakes Gaming & Racetrack says they would be able to add over 1-thousand jobs. "We recently released a study that said the economic impact of this facility would be in the range of $150 million," said Martin. Critics say this will only hurt the state. "Casinos run all kinds of local businesses out of business. Casinos are designed to get people to stay," said Rev. Duane Motley, New York's Family Research Foundation. "Casinos are designed to get people to stay. They don't want people to leave until you are broke." The location of the new casinos would be decided in 2013.
