Tennessee: Gambling Influence

Wamp Says He Would Oppose Legalized Gambling In Tennessee

Zach Wamp, Republican candidate for governor, said he would oppose legalized gambling in Tennessee.

He called on Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam "to publicly disclose all of his holdings, investments and partnerships with casino gambling interests."

The Wamp campaign said, "Haslam’s stake in gambling operations was the focus of an article published last week in the Knoxville-based Metro Pulse.

"Pilot Oil Corporation, which is co-owned by Haslam and members of his family, operates casinos and other casino games in at least three states through its subsidiary, Pilot Travel Centers. In Nevada, Pilot has partnered with Leisure Gaming in the operation of hundreds of 24-hour slot machines throughout the state.
Pilot also has a stake in gambling in Montana through an agreement with Town Pump, Inc, which offers keno, poker and other casino games at travel centers around the state. In addition, Haslam’s business partner, CVC Capital Partners, owns and operates major multi-national gambling interests.

"The Luxembourg-based CVC Capital Partners purchased a 47.5 percent stake in Pilot Travel Centers from Mayor Haslam and his family in September 2008. Earlier that same year, CVC Capital Partners purchased Magnum Corporation, an international gaming operator based in Malaysia that boasts annual revenues approaching $1 billion."

“The international gaming interests that Mayor Haslam has partnered with may think they can do business here in Tennessee, but they are dead wrong,” said Rep. Wamp. “Their gambling dollars are not welcome here, and casino gambling will not come into our state as long as I am governor. Period.
He said he was calling on Mayor Haslam "to immediately itemize for the public all of his holdings or investments with casino gambling interests, including the names and locations of his partners and the facilities they operate; the earnings he receives from those investments; and whether he intends to spend any earnings received from those operations on his campaign for governor."