Seminole gambling compact goes to governor

Tallahassee Bureau
© 2009 Miami Herald/St. Petersburg Times
Monday, April 19, 2010

After 20 years of negotiations, a Seminole gambling compact is now headed to Gov. Charlie Crist after the House approved the measure Monday with a 74-39 vote.

But the vote belied the passionate debate on the House floor as conservative Republicans decried the agreement as "evil" and Democrats lamented that the money didn't go toward education.

"The love of money is the root of every evil," said Rep. Charles Van Zant, a Clay County Republican, quoting the Bible. "This Seminole gambling compact is evil and brings evil upon Floridians."

Crist, who helped negotiate the compact, is expected to sign it. It gives the tribe slot machines at seven casinos on its reservations, and blackjack and two other card games in Broward, Tampa and Immokalee. The agreement bars roulette and craps at the tribe's casinos. In exchange, the tribe agrees to guarantee the state at least $1 billion in revenues over the next five years and share its revenues from slot machines for 20 years.

In the immediate future, the state will get $435 million to spend this year, which will help fill a deficit in revenues.

This "took what was stuck in the ditch and put the State of Florida back in the drivers seat," said Rep. Bill Galvano, R-Bradenton, the House negotiator.