No to Casinos in Miami ... guest blogger, Barry White

Civic activist Barry White recently wrote to state senator Larcenia Bullard, opposing gambling. His letter is reprinted here.


We are already seeing the result of a multi-billion dollar industry fixing its sights on Florida: a tidal wave of lobbyist money is flowing into the state. The money will sugar coat every elected official. We've seen how this works before: most recently, the new stadium for the Miami Marlins through which taxpayer interest was overwhelmed by lucre. Full-scale casinos are a magic replacement for the Ponzi scheme of the housing boom. Like activist Barry White, more citizens are going to need to write and to visit elected officials. Beyond the matter of economics and the social devastation that will accompany gambling in Miami, from a political perspective, putting casinos in Miami and Miami-Dade County is like letting a child play with a loaded gun.

Senator Bullard, for whatever it is worth. I am requesting that you oppose the new mega casino legislation for Florida; it is a false and limited fix to any revenue shortfall. As one who has been in the travel industry for overforty years, it is my opinion it will not improve the quality of our travel offerings, rather, it will be a crutch and prevent us from developing and improving basic travel infrastructure.  Miami and most of Florida are rarely seen in the top 100 of anything nation or world wide; restaurants, hotels, museums, tourist attractions. If the proposed project is built here, you will never see our area develop its full potential as a travel destination. We will be branded forever as honky tonk; we will never be a Monte Carlo. Norman Braman will be able to walk across the street for a tattoo or to pawn his watch.  Sticking the proposed carbuncle in downtown Miami will negate the billions we have spent for the Arsht Center, the new Marlin Stadium and other infrastructure improvements and cheapen our character. We do not need carpetbaggers from 12,000 miles away dictating the nature of our cities and state. Without gambling, South Beach is already the hotest destination on the planet. We have too many other reasons for people to come here; we just need to improve and develop them.   Please be sure that any proposed legislation requires full performance bonding for all aspects of any project before a shovel is turned. The full cost of building the project plus the full cost to the city, county and state for any infrastructure costs toward it, should all be irrevocably bonded against their failure to complet the project in case they abandon it midstream and we have to either complete it or tear it down.  Please get involved in this since the pressure to approve it is only being driven by those blinded by dreams of new revenue which really is not enough to merit this insult to our community, especially when the offsets are factored in.  Thank you, Barry J. White