Delaware lawmakers are killing the golden goose
As someone who has been at odds with the state’s casinos in the past (Dover Downs once pulled its advertising out of the Dover Post over a critical cartoon I drew), I have to say I surprised myself when I was coming up with ideas for today’s cartoon.
Could I actuality be sympathizing with Delaware’s beleaguered casinos?
Tags: Delaware Park, Dover Downs, Harrington Raceway, Jack Markell
I agree with you most of the time, Rob, but not on this one. I realize the contractual structure the casinos have with the state is unique but, in another era, you could have substituted “chemicals” or “chickens” for casinos and attempted the same argument. The casinos were essentially given a monopoly, and for years played it as though they had drawn an inside straight. Remember, too, that the rationale behind the casino legislation was to bail out the failing horse racing industry. (How’s that working out now?)
Bottom line: the grand era of casino gambling in Delaware is over, just like the grand eras of chemicals and auto manufacturing. And how are pharmaceuticals doing these days? (AZ, the beneficiary of Gov. Carper’s largesse just two decades ago, has literally reduced most of its HQ to rubble.) The goose had no more golden eggs to lay. Gamblers aren’t going to drive through Pennsylvania and Maryland to get to Delaware Park, Dover Downs or Harrington when they can blow their wads closer to home. Casino operators should explore new options for utilizing their facilities and the state should stop subsidizing a failing industry.
@mediawatch Thunderous applause!
Aaargh! The industry is not failing! It simply isn’t growing anymore. That is not the same thing. The state still takes in about $200 million a year from gambling, doesn’t it? Think it made the same amount from the chemical industry? The banks?
The industry is actually telling the truth about the table games — the state’s take is too large for it to make any money for the casinos because, unlike slots, you need humans to deal the cards and spin the roulette wheel.
The question is whether the state should subsidize these casinos’ related businesses. The jobs they like to talk about being lost are not casino-floor jobs, except for the dealers. They are restaurant and hotel jobs, and I see no reason for subsidizing them at one location instead of another.
Yes, Mediawatch!
The casinos are giving all the money to the State. They should have money to re-invest into the casino. They need to bring in better shows, restaurants, etc. But, their hands are tied. Here is New Jersey’s rates on their casinos: http://www.nj.gov/lps/ge/docs/Financials/CRFTF/CRFTFSourceReport.pdf.
Could not find the breakdown for DE.
Maybe the next Governor of DE should take a pay cut, the 8th highest in the nation!
Sorry I did not see this article first. This would be a start and it’s sitting idle. WHY!!!
Much like horse racing the gold is gone out of this goose and it will only get worse as new casinos open in other states. You can diddle with the states cut ad infinitum but at the end of the day the industry is stagnant and no amount of political games will change it. No, the industry is not dying, not yet.
Just think of the casinos as a tax collection entity. Sure it’s mainly a tax on the poor and the stupid, but it’s a tax scheme nonetheless.
And 53% is actually low for a tax collection entity. The lottery is something like 75%, and IRS returns more than 99% of what it collects…
There’s chance Fisker is coming back to help with Taxes… LOL