The Seminole Casino Immokalee in Florida. Photo from Seminole Tribe
The Seminole Tribe of Florida will debut a new hotel at one of its casinos tomorrow. The tribe added a 99-room, four-story hotel to the Seminole Casino Immokalee. The cost of the project was not reported. “The hotel is really an investment. The tribe is reinvesting back into its business," Jim Gibson, the casino’s director of marketing, told The Naples Daily News. The hotel is part of the tribe's ongoing expansion of its gaming empire. Two additional projects worth $1.6 billion depend on approval of a new Class III gaming compact. "If nothing happens, both of these projects are on hold," Seminole Gaming CEO Jim Allen told The Tampa Bay Times. The tribe has shared more than $1 billion with the state over the last five years. A key provision expires this summer but state lawmakers do not appear to be interested in a new deal and are instead pursuing an expansion of non-Indian operations.
The Seminole Compact: Partnership
Even Gov. Rick Scott (R) appears reticent. Jim Shore, the tribe's general counsel, said he hasn't heard much since January. "Whatever the state wants to do, we'll deal with it," Shore told the paper. "But right now we're not getting a lot of communication from the state on the table gaming part of the compact." The tribe released a second ad that touts the benefits of the compact. The lastet features business leaders who say the agreement has been good for the state's economy. Get the Story:
Tribe rolls dice on new hotel at Immokalee casino (The Naples News 3/11)
Seminole Tribe's $1.6 billion expansion hinges on fate of gaming compact (The Tampa Bay Times 3/11)
Two business groups back Seminole gambling compact (The News Service of Florida 3/9)
Seminoles continue ad campaign aimed at salvaging Compact (The Tampa Tribune 3/9)
Seminole Tribe of Florida urges legislators to extend gambling compact (The South Florida Business Journal 3/9)
Business Leaders Praise Seminole Compact in New TV Ad (Sunshine State News 3/9) An Opinion:
Editorial: Expanded gambling bad bet for Florida (The Tampa bay Times 3/11)
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Tribe wins local approval for new hotel tower at casino (3/6) Seminole Tribe seeks approval for 537-room casino hotel tower (3/5)
Seminole Tribe includes hotel in expansion of gaming facility (3/17)
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