Tuesday, March 3, 2009
News Atlanta OKs lottery terminals at Underground Atlanta
Posted by Thomas Wheatley @thomaswheatley on Tue, Mar 3, 2009 at 12:15 AM
First come the slots. Then come the men cavorting with white tigers and true artistes! Until then...baby steps.
And today, the Atlanta City Council voiced its support for a plan that could drastically change Underground Atlanta and bring gambling — well, video lottery terminals — to the long suffering downtown attraction. Council voted 11-0 to approve a resolution supporting the proposal and form a committee to study the project.
Underground Atlanta leaseholders Dan O'Leary and John Aderhold say a remake of the area could bring jobs and much-needed revenue to the city. The two recently proposed a $500 million redevelopment plan that would convert Underground Atlanta's 12 acres into a complex featuring a 29-story hotel, restaurants, shops and lottery terminals.
So sayeth Councilmember Jim Maddox in a press release:
“As a city we want to ensure that Atlanta’s interests and needs are addressed as well as this proposal moves forward,” said City Councilman Jim Maddox, Chair of the City Council’s Community Development Committee. “The development has the potential to create 1,000 new jobs in the first phase of the development and a cumulative 2,000 direct jobs in the second phase. Additionally, we expect $42 million to be spent on food and beverages the first year and a total general and administrative payroll of more than $20 million."
Half of the $600 million in anticipated revenues would fund pre-Kindergarten and HOPE scholarships. Councilmembers hope additional tax revenue could fund needed public services and infrastructure improvements. O'Leary and Aderhold say the project's first phase — a $50 million makeover of Underground Atlanta — could be completed in 12 months.
The Georgia Lottery Board, however, has the final say in the matter. And as we've reported here, the city faces some long odds in that regard.
Comments (6)
Showing 1-6 of 6
we can gamble but not buy alcohol on sundays? if we're going to hell why not do it up big?
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I'm not sure if this is the solution, but I sure would like to be able to gamble here. Also, it would be nice to buy beer on Sunday. No more last minute beer runs on Saturday night before the football games.
Mark my words, when they do this and it fails miserably, then the anti-gambling people will forever block REAL casinos from coming to ATL.
video lottery terminals? i don't consider that gambling. no poker? no blackjack? no dice? count me out.
Why don't we just cut the middle man and install the lottery machines in the hotel rooms? That way, law-makers are spared the uncomfortable decisions that would bring the city and state into the 21st century, and we get to keep late-night Atlanta the virtual ghost town we've all come to love.
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