Two cities brace for enlarging of casinos
The cities of Hollywood and Coconut Creek are willing to work with the Seminole Tribe on expansion, as long as the tribe doesn't try to put its land into federal trust.

By Roberto Santiago
© 2007 Miami Herald
Wednesday, December 26, 2007

Two South Florida cities are preparing for the growth that Las Vegas-style gambling likely will bring if the federal government and the courts give the nod to the state's gambling pact with the Seminole Tribe of Florida.

If the tribe moves to take dozens of acres surrounding its Broward casinos into a federal trust -- which would allow for expanding the Tribe's gaming complexes while being exempt from local taxes and regulation -- both Coconut Creek and Hollywood have lobbyists in Washington waiting to fight.

Since 2004, the Seminole Tribe has had to get approval from Coconut Creek or Hollywood to build hotels, parking garages and expand casinos -- and it often had to negotiate down on the size and scope of its projects. Tribe-city relations have been amicable in both cities -- though at times, residents have complained of clogged roads, the prospect of high-rise hotels adjacent to established neighborhoods and general concerns about quality of life and property values.

Now, though, the tribe, which has been buying up land near its reservation for years in both cities -- and plans to buy more next year -- is seeking the U.S. Department of Interior's approval to have that land designated a federal trust. Even so, the Seminoles concede a trust is a long shot.

The Bush administration's Interior Department has allowed few Indian-owned lands to go into annexation.

''We would have to wait for a new administration, after the presidential elections,'' said Seminole Tribe spokesman Gary Bitner, who is hopeful that the tribe and the cities can iron out their differences.

Complicating the question is the recent gambling compact between the Seminoles and Gov. Charlie Crist that would allow some table games at the tribe's casinos. That agreement has been challenged in court.

The cities had contacted Crist's office about their fears, but it's unclear whether Crist included their concerns during negotiations on the compact. Crist's office did not respond to questions on the issue this week.

Bitner said that during their negotiations with the governor it was made clear that expansion of their facilities was needed.

Even if some 44 acres of land surrounding the Seminoles Coconut Creek casino were to go into a federal trust, the tribe has an agreement to pay the city $1.6 million annually for basics such as water and sewage. That figure is expected to rise to $2 million, because it's pegged to the Consumer Price Index.

''It is clear that when table games and slots come to this casino that it will become even more popular,'' said City Manager John Kelly. ''This is why we have conceptually agreed with them -- nothing has been submitted -- for them to build a 24-story hotel, and a 6,500-space parking garage, and space for retail.'' Kelly says increased traffic, policing, and fire-rescue needs created by the expansion will be an issue, but he is confident those potential problems can be worked out.

NO POWWOW YET

Over in Hollywood, however, neither city officials nor tribal leaders have sat down to figure out how to deal with expansion once the Seminole Hard Rock becomes a Las Vegas-style casino. The tribe owns 60 acres of land near its casino.

Recently, the city of Hollywood turned down the casino's request to build a parking garage across the street from its main entrance.

NOT BEST USE

Lorie Mertens-Black, director of intergovernmental affairs for the Hollywood city manager's office, said the proposed garage was ``not the highest and best use for that land.''

Still, she said, ``there is room to open discussions between the city and the tribe regarding hotel and retail expansion on that land.''

Bitner said he was pleased -- and surprised -- that Hollywood would be open to expansion. ''The expansion of the casinos would bring almost 10,000 more jobs to the areas that have those casinos,'' he said.

The tribe has no similar issues with local governments at its other casinos, the Seminole Casino Immokalee or the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino near Tampa.

But in Broward, it's unclear just how -- or whether -- state agencies might referee any disputes. For example, Florida Department of Community Affairs spokesman Jon Peck said the department has not addressed what might happen to local growth management plans if the tribe buys land and expands beyond the local comprehensive plans.

''They'll answer it if it comes up but it hasn't really come up,'' Peck said.

INJUNCTION SOUGHT

On Thursday, Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum sought an injunction against the U.S. Department of Interior to prevent the federal government from making the Florida gambling compact effective until the Florida Supreme Court rules on the agreement's validity.

The tribe signed a compact with Crist on Nov. 14, but the deal was not approved by the Legislature. The Florida Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on Jan. 30 over whether such approval was needed.

McCollum said this week that if the compact takes effect before then -- and then the court rejects the compact -- confusion would follow.

''What you [would] have happening is an invalid compact going into effect,'' McCollum said.

Still, because of federal rules, most observers agree that it's only a matter of time before the Seminoles get Las Vegas-style gaming -- and tribe leaders predict big things will follow.

''We will witness a significantly huge number of new visitors,'' said Bitner.