[Genting is the financial supporter of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe in Massachusetts.]
Gambling giant spends more than $900,000 on pro-casino PAC
September 21, 2012|By Kathleen Haughney, Tallahassee Bureau
TALLAHASSEE –
— Malaysian-based gambling giant Genting has pumped $936,500 since April into a political action committee designed to sell the concept of Las Vegas-style casinos to voters in the Sunshine State, documents made public Friday show. But the casino company is still coy about its exact aims in Florida.
"We're still in a wait-and-see and we'll see what happens [mode]," said Brian Hughes, a spokesman for the Genting-backed PAC, New Jobs and Revenue for Florida.
More than a year ago, Genting swept into South Florida, spending $236 million to buy the bayfront home of the Miami Herald. It also took over the mortgage for the neighboring Omni – details of that deal were not disclosed – and set to work trying to persuade state lawmakers they should allow gambling companies like Genting, Las Vegas Sands and Wynn Resorts into the Florida market.
Deluxe hotel casinos, the companies argued, would bring far more to the state in terms of tourism, jobs and tax revenue than exisiting pari-mutuels and the casinos belonging to the Seminole and Miccosukee Indian tribes.
But lawmakers balked. Genting then began looking at how to take the issue over their heads and directly to voters, ultimately forming a political action committee in April that is designed to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot so ordinary Floridians could decide whether destination casinos are appropriate or not. The Florida Legislature wouldn't have any say.
Hughes, in an interview on Friday ,said Genting is still trying to figure out if taking the matter to the voters is the best way forward for the company. Meanwhile, via the PAC, the company has paid out thousands to pollsters, media consultants and attorneys to do research and preparatory work to see if placing a constitutional amendment on the ballot would stand a good chance of success.
Of the $936,500 put into the committee as of Sept. 10, $860,435.75 has been spent, the documents filed with the state show. Genting is the sole contributor to the commitee through its Miami and New York offices.
Since April, the PAC has shelled out more than $390,000 to Fabrizio, McLaughlin and Associates, an Alexandria, Va.- based media and campaign consulting group with expertise in polling — and with ties to Florida Gov. Rick Scott. It's also paid Hughes, a former spokesman for Scott and the state Republican Party, $11,250 for media advice, as well as $350,000 to Fort Lauderdale attorney Bruce Rogow, a high-profile appellate lawyer who has argued numerous cases before the state Supreme Court. That court would have to approve the language of any referendum question placed on a statewide ballot.
Hughes wouldn't comment specifically on what Genting has been doing and whether they've taken polls to gauge public opinion on allowing destination casinos in Florida.
Running a campaign to amend Florida'a constitution is a monumental undertaking. To succeed, the committee would have to gather the signatures of more than 600,000 voters, win Supreme Court approval of ballot language – and spend multiple millions on a statewide advertising blitz to secure the approval of at least 60% of the voters casting ballots.
More than a year ago, Genting swept into South Florida, spending $236 million to buy the bayfront home of the Miami Herald. It also took over the mortgage for the neighboring Omni – details of that deal were not disclosed – and set to work trying to persuade state lawmakers they should allow gambling companies like Genting, Las Vegas Sands and Wynn Resorts into the Florida market.
Deluxe hotel casinos, the companies argued, would bring far more to the state in terms of tourism, jobs and tax revenue than exisiting pari-mutuels and the casinos belonging to the Seminole and Miccosukee Indian tribes.
But lawmakers balked. Genting then began looking at how to take the issue over their heads and directly to voters, ultimately forming a political action committee in April that is designed to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot so ordinary Floridians could decide whether destination casinos are appropriate or not. The Florida Legislature wouldn't have any say.
Hughes, in an interview on Friday ,said Genting is still trying to figure out if taking the matter to the voters is the best way forward for the company. Meanwhile, via the PAC, the company has paid out thousands to pollsters, media consultants and attorneys to do research and preparatory work to see if placing a constitutional amendment on the ballot would stand a good chance of success.
Of the $936,500 put into the committee as of Sept. 10, $860,435.75 has been spent, the documents filed with the state show. Genting is the sole contributor to the commitee through its Miami and New York offices.
Since April, the PAC has shelled out more than $390,000 to Fabrizio, McLaughlin and Associates, an Alexandria, Va.- based media and campaign consulting group with expertise in polling — and with ties to Florida Gov. Rick Scott. It's also paid Hughes, a former spokesman for Scott and the state Republican Party, $11,250 for media advice, as well as $350,000 to Fort Lauderdale attorney Bruce Rogow, a high-profile appellate lawyer who has argued numerous cases before the state Supreme Court. That court would have to approve the language of any referendum question placed on a statewide ballot.
Hughes wouldn't comment specifically on what Genting has been doing and whether they've taken polls to gauge public opinion on allowing destination casinos in Florida.
Running a campaign to amend Florida'a constitution is a monumental undertaking. To succeed, the committee would have to gather the signatures of more than 600,000 voters, win Supreme Court approval of ballot language – and spend multiple millions on a statewide advertising blitz to secure the approval of at least 60% of the voters casting ballots.
Several previous referendum campaigns intended to expand gambling have failed – though Floridians haven't voted on the issue since 1994.
Genting isn't ruling out trying again to win over the Florida Legislature, though. Other casino companies, which have not signed on to Genting's potential referendum strategy, are also talking to legislative leaders in hopes of bringing the issue up again at the 2013 legislative session.
"We're continuing to pitch the benefits of destination resorts," said Nick Iarossi, a lobbyist for Las Vegas Sands, which is owned by mega Republican financial backer Sheldon Adelson.
Earlier this summer, state Sen. Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, who will be president of the Florida Senate for the next two years, told the Sun Sentinel that he believed that the next session of the Legislature will take a comprehensive look at gambling and determine where it wants the state to go in terms of its compact with the Seminole Tribe, Internet cafes, pari-mutuels and the plans for destination casinos.
Opponents of gambling are already preparing their arguments in opposition.
The political action committee No Casinos Inc., along with Walt Disney World and the Florida Chamber of Commerce, have held news conferences and released TV and Internet ads over the past year arguing against allowing destination resorts, which they claim would bring more crime to South Florida and not generate the type of jobs the state wanted.
A cadre of top lobbyists have also been engaged by the well-heeled foes of gambling to argue against destination casinos.
John Sowinski, president of No Casinos Inc., said that his group is "waiting with interest" to see if the Genting-funded PAC goes through with a push for a constitutional amendment. He said he was uncertain that Genting could pitch the idea of the casino resorts so convincingly that Florida voters would conclude they need them.
"I don't think that they can come up with the ballot language or an idea to stand the test of time," he said.
Genting isn't ruling out trying again to win over the Florida Legislature, though. Other casino companies, which have not signed on to Genting's potential referendum strategy, are also talking to legislative leaders in hopes of bringing the issue up again at the 2013 legislative session.
"We're continuing to pitch the benefits of destination resorts," said Nick Iarossi, a lobbyist for Las Vegas Sands, which is owned by mega Republican financial backer Sheldon Adelson.
Earlier this summer, state Sen. Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, who will be president of the Florida Senate for the next two years, told the Sun Sentinel that he believed that the next session of the Legislature will take a comprehensive look at gambling and determine where it wants the state to go in terms of its compact with the Seminole Tribe, Internet cafes, pari-mutuels and the plans for destination casinos.
Opponents of gambling are already preparing their arguments in opposition.
The political action committee No Casinos Inc., along with Walt Disney World and the Florida Chamber of Commerce, have held news conferences and released TV and Internet ads over the past year arguing against allowing destination resorts, which they claim would bring more crime to South Florida and not generate the type of jobs the state wanted.
A cadre of top lobbyists have also been engaged by the well-heeled foes of gambling to argue against destination casinos.
John Sowinski, president of No Casinos Inc., said that his group is "waiting with interest" to see if the Genting-funded PAC goes through with a push for a constitutional amendment. He said he was uncertain that Genting could pitch the idea of the casino resorts so convincingly that Florida voters would conclude they need them.
"I don't think that they can come up with the ballot language or an idea to stand the test of time," he said.
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