The Florida Supreme Court will be hearing an appeal on whether or not the Legislature can approve slot machine operations anywhere in the state. An appellate court decision said that the Legislature can approve them, but the legislation is being opposed by moral grounders, competing business interests and some rather influential corporations such as Walt Disney World. Among other claims, opposition expresses the fear that casinos may tarnish Florida’s family-friendly image.
If the ruling survives the Florida Supreme Court challenge, lawmakers may begin permitting casino resorts literally anywhere in the state. Some Bills have already been filed for next year’s legislative session, which will begin January 10, 2012. The Bills could serve to license three casino resorts in South Florida.
There does not seem to be much of a push to establish further gambling in NW Florida. (We already have the Ebro Greyhound Park and Gambling Room near Panama City.) Although, Ft. Walton Beach was quite the gambling mecca during the 40’s. The area was gaining so much unwanted attention over the illegally operated casinos that the Florida governor actually removed the Okaloosa County Sheriff from office and appointed someone to crack down on these activities. Some of the old timers had joked that Ft. Walton Beach at the time had more neon than any other city east of the Mississippi River.