Familiar debate. Familiar result.
For the third time in two years, a bill in the state House of Representatives seeking to expand the number of casinos in Delaware from three to five failed to make it out of committee for debate on the House floor. But that doesn’t mean the issue is going away, according to expansion proponents.
HB 146, sponsored by State Rep. Dennis E. Williams (D-Talleyville), was crafted slightly differently than the previous efforts sponsored by House Majority leader Peter Schawartzkopf (D-Rehoboth Beach), specifically in the process of how the sites for the two new casinos – one in Sussex County and another in New castle County – would be chosen. Nevertheless, the bill’s fate in committee was the same.
“I was extremely disappointed [the bill was not voted out of committee],” said Williams. “I thought the testimony, especially from the folks in Sussex County who drove up here on their own for the most part, wanting jobs, might have swayed a couple of representatives to at least release it to the floor where we could debate it even more.”
Reaction to Casino Expansion bill’s defeat in committee
State Rep Dennis E Williams (D- Talleyville) believes his version of a casino expansion bill still has life.
Developer Hunter Lott of Riverwalk Partners has not completely given up on passing a bill this year.
Dover Downs President Ed Sutor opposes expansion, but does not believe the effort to add casino venues is over with this vote.
Williams argued before the committee that the bill is one of the few job creation measures before the Legislature this session that would not cost the state any money since it simply opens the door for two more private investors to develop casino projects. Williams maintains the only reason the bill isn’t getting support in a sluggish economic recovery is the business it seeks to expand.
“If this bill had any other word in here other than ‘casino’ in an effort to bring businesses to the state, people would be running to vote for this bill,” said Williams.
The majority of those who spoke before the committee in the packed House Majority Caucus Room supported the bill, mainly arguing in support of Williams’ characterization of the legislation as a “jobs bill”.
“If this bill passes, the ensuing work will benefit us,” said Harry Gravell, president of the Delaware Building & Construction Trades Council. “It’s not about competition. It’s about jobs. I still have [union] members living in cars. We need jobs.”
Representatives for four proposed casino projects in Delmar, Millsboro, Wilmington and northern New Castle County near the Pennsylvania state line also testified. Hunter Lott of Riverwalk Partners, who envisions a venue on the Wilmington riverfront, says his group estimates the Wilmington project would generate 850 permanent jobs and 1800 construction jobs.
“This is significant legislation for our state as we try to pull out if a recession,” said Lott.
Delaware Park’s CEO Bill Rickman and Delaware Thoroughbred Horseman’s Association president Madeline Locke were among the minority that testified against the bill.
Rickman said he was sensitive to the needs for jobs in the state, but said adding new venues that don’t have to sponsor horse racing like existing venues could cause Delaware Park to shed casino and horse racing related jobs.
“We’re in steep decline,” said Rickman. “How are we going to compete against a Wilmington casino that doesn’t have to have the [horse racing] expenses we have?”
Locke contended that the window for more casinos is closed. She also argued that adding new venues without horse racing could be the death knell for the racing industry in the state.
“If racing in Delaware is not supported, you will hear a huge sucking sound as millions of dollars exit our state. Horseman will take their horses elsewhere and the $30,000 per year per horse will go with them,” said Locke. “And we will lose thousands of jobs.”
State Rep. Edward Osienski (D-Newark South) joined committee members Schwartzkopf and Majority Whip Valerie Longhurst (D-Bear) in asking committee members against the bill to vote it out of committee so it could receive full debate and a vote on the floor.
“We have 41 state representatives that represent the entire state of Delaware. I think it’s time for this bill to come out of committee and make it to the house floor so each person, other than just the nine [committee members] in this room have a chance to hear this bill,” said Longhurst.
But the majority of committee members disagreed, voting against sending HB 146 on.
Williams will try to keep the measure alive. When asked if he would pursue suspending House rules to get the bill to the floor, Williams responded, “Yes, I would.”
Lott admits his optimism for the bill’s success is “diminished” by the committee vote, but wants to keep the fight alive.
“The last great hope here is that we get 21 votes to suspend rules and at least get it to the point where it’s debated in the House,” Lott said. “I think if we have a full airing, then people have to say why they’re in favor and why they are not in favor. In this hearing, we had 5 members who never said a thing and voted no. It’s beyond my comprehension.”
Dover Downs president Ed Sutor says the casinos expect the fight will continue.
“It’s like a bad penny. It comes back and comes back,” said Sutor.
