Peter Schorsch
This week, our publication reported on the newly filed bill by Senator Blaise Ingoglia, opening up gambling options in the state. Our team wanted to be the first media outlet to conduct our objective, independent analysis of SB 1054 and present the facts as laid out in the proposed legislation. At Florida Politics, we understand that misinformation will be spread concerning the substance of these bills. We wanted to present the facts in the bills to our readers.
SB 1054 is a substantive bill that intends to reduce the number of permits statewide and relocate currently authorized activities to focus on tourism dollars rather than local dollars. The proposed legislation would add an option for a new type of relocation. In this case, a greyhound permit would be authorized to relocate within a 30-mile radius, even across a county boundary, if the county to which the permit will relocate has already approved pari-mutuel wagering, cardrooms, and slot machine operations, as applicable.
In addition, the greyhound permit holder must already be authorized to operate a cardroom or slot machine and have a majority ultimate owner in common with another currently licensed greyhound permit. Local regulations would not prevent the permit holder from conducting the same activities it already conducts. If relocation of the permit is approved, the second greyhound permit must be forfeited, thereby contracting and restructuring gaming statewide.
The companion appropriations bill, The Prospect Del Vista Infrastructure and Investment Act, creates economic improvements in gaming-concentrated counties, defined as counties with five or more pari-mutuel licenses. A nonprofit corporation comprises a five-member Board of Directors that distributes the funding and supervises the nonprofit corporation. The Senate President, the Speaker of the House, and the Governor appoint the Board of Directors.
Central to this legislative proposal is an unprecedented recurring $150 million public benefit component dedicated to a gaming-concentrated county.
The unencumbered use of these funds is a substantial investment poised to uplift community necessities: increased access to high-quality, affordable health care, enhancements to public school safety and security, innovative transportation solutions, improvements to aging infrastructure, and expanded economic prosperity by creating fair-wage jobs. Also of note, these revenues will increase by focusing on tourism dollars and, as a result, increase public education funding statewide.
Legislation of this stature will create a positive ripple across the state, which is why it has the backing of Gov. Ron DeSantis. The Legislature, working closely with the Governor’s Office, ensures that this legislation is in the best interest of and provides economic prosperity for all Floridians.
As the Legislature contemplates this bold step, managing gaming restructuring responsibly by repositioning gaming permits is essential. This legislative proposal accomplishes that goal by moving existing gaming operations without increasing the number of operations while eliminating active, eligible permits to help prevent expansion in the future.
