Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Drew WilsonNovember 1, 2018

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

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

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

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

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

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, 2017

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

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 […]

Jim RosicaNovember 21, 2016

Florida House Speaker-designate Richard Corcoran Monday said lawmakers again will consider a gambling agreement with the Seminole Tribe of Florida. A federal judge earlier this month ruled the tribe can continue to offer blackjack and other “banked card games” to its Hard Rock Casino customers across the state, including the Tampa location. The tribe sued the […]

Jim RosicaNovember 9, 2016

A federal judge on Wednesday ruled the Seminole Tribe of Florida can continue to offer blackjack and other “banked card games” to its Hard Rock Casino customers in the state. In a 36-page opinion, Senior U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle said the state had broken an exclusivity deal with the tribe, part of what’s called the […]

Tag: Seminole Tribe
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Seminole Tribe puts another $1M behind Amendment 3 push

Seminole Tribe announces $700M expansion at Hard Rock Tampa

House makes modest offer toward gambling compromise

Bill Galvano brings policy skills to top Senate post

House sees Senate on gambling bill, raises them

Senate Appropriations votes 14-2 to OK gambling bill, now cleared for Senate floor

Seminole Compact, other gambling issues expected to be top priority in House Commerce committee

Jim Rosica’s review of top state government stories in 2016

Seminole Compact still in play, Richard Corcoran says

Happy day at Hard Rock: Seminoles get to keep blackjack