"There is a school of thought that says the tentative pact on Florida casino gambling is worth passing because it means so many jobs.

Although we have not seen exactly how many jobs, there are bound to be lots of new opportunities at Indian gaming venues in line for higher stakes gaming, including blackjack and Vegas-style slots.

Still, we are thinking of other jobs. What about the jobs at established venues such as the Naples-Fort Myers Greyhound Track in Bonita Springs? The track has been a corporate neighbor and employer for more than 50 years.

While we are no big fan of big gambling as a get-rich-quick scheme, we do tend to be an advocate of a level playing field. A regulatory atmosphere for gaming that lets one class of businesses corner an exclusive franchise on the most attractive games appears lopsided, unless there is something about all this that we are missing so far.

Would being allowed to stay open and sell drinks longer, and offer a higher level of poker, be enough to keep Bonita going?

When Florida legislators make their review of the deal between Gov. Charlie Crist and the Seminoles, they may be considering parochial politics and geography more than a venue’s tenure in a given community."

Get the Story:
Editorial: Casino gambling ... maybe legislators could tweak deal to even odds (The Naples News 9/8)

Also Today:
Crist eager for October special session on Seminole gambling compact (The Tallahassee Democrat 9/9)
State gambling deal of concern to Northeast Florida (The Jacksonville News 9/9)