A.G. GancarskiJanuary 24, 2019
4min358
When it comes to gambling money to the state, the key word is "uncertainty."
Tag: Seminole TribeNo on 4
A.G. GancarskiJanuary 24, 2019
Jim RosicaNovember 19, 2018
10min415
The next big debate over gambling in Florida could be on sports betting — with one top lawmaker already flexing his muscle regarding lawmakers’ say over it. This month, voters approved Amendment 3, also known as the “Voter Control of Gambling” amendment, by 71 percent. Its aim: To “ensure that Florida voters shall have the […]
Drew WilsonNovember 1, 2018
5min577
The political committee behind a proposed constitutional amendment to let voters decide on future gambling expansions in the Sunshine State picked up another seven-figure check from the Seminole Tribe of Florida on Wednesday. Voters in Charge, the committee sponsoring Amendment 3, has been heavily backed by the tribe as well as Disney Worldwide Services. With […]
Staff ReportsMay 30, 2018
7min651
The first line of the press release says it all: “Florida’s biggest casino is getting even bigger.” The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa on Wednesday announced “a nearly $700 million expansion … with 5,000 slot machines and almost 200 gaming tables,” the release said. Work should be completed by mid-2019. “The expanded casino […]
Jim RosicaMarch 9, 2018
4min360
The House’s first stab on comprehensive gambling legislation this year includes a spartan offer to the Senate of only three new slot machine licenses for pari-mutuels in counties that OK’d slots in local referendums. The Conference Committee on Gaming met for the first time Thursday evening; Rep. Mike La Rosa was elected chair. The proposal […]
Lloyd DunkelbergerOctober 23, 2017
9min399
Sen. Bill Galvano, a 51-year-old lawyer from Bradenton, will be designated Tuesday by Senate Republicans as the next president of the Florida Senate. The Republican lawmaker will lead the 40-member Senate for two years after the November 2018 general elections, assuming the Republicans hold their majority — now at a 24-16 margin — in the […]
Jim RosicaApril 4, 2017
3min419
The House amended the Senate’s gambling measure with its own bill Tuesday, setting up the legislation for conference. The difference between the two chambers’ approach was set up by Rep. Mike La Rosa, the St. Cloud Republican who chairs the Tourism & Gaming Control Subcommittee. He said the House effort “erects a firewall against the expansion of […]
Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterFebruary 23, 2017
5min309
A wide-sweeping gambling bill is now ready to be heard by the full Senate when the 2017 Legislative Session kicks off next month, after it cleared the Senate Appropriations Committee this morning. The bill (SB 8), sponsored by Sen. Bill Galvano, ratifies the 2015 Seminole Compact, subject to the approval of amendments to conform the […]
Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterJanuary 10, 20176min209
The House Commerce Committee is poised to tackle everything from assignment of benefits to economic incentives, but it’s the most narrowly defined subcommittee that could be the busiest in the months leading up to, and during, the 2017 Legislative Session. The full House Commerce Committee, chaired by Rep. Jose Felix Diaz, met Tuesday morning to […]
Jim RosicaDecember 30, 2016
20min441
From algebra to Zika, 2016 brought a plethora of material to the Capitol Press Corps. Trying to pick the top state government stories is a subjective pursuit, to say the least, but here are the FloridaPolitics.com picks for the passing year. In (kind of) chronological order: — Kevin McCarty ousted as state Insurance Commissioner, replaced by […]