Flamingo Park Neighborhood Association adopts NO CASINOS FLORIDA RESOLUTION !

Dear Mayor Bower and Commissioners:

The Flamingo Park Neighborhood Association at its meeting on December 5, 2011 by unanimous vote adopted the following / attached No Casinos Florida Resolution.

NO CASINOS FLORIDA RESOLUTION

WHEREAS the Florida Legislature is currently considering various measures that would provide for the substantial expansion of gambling, and

WHEREAS the legislation being considered would allow for casino operations that rival in size and scope the gambling operations that exist in Las Vegas and Atlantic City, and

WHEREAS notwithstanding the assurances of gambling promoters, historically, large scale casino operations cannibalize non-gambling businesses causing, for instance, the shuttering of forty percent of all restaurants and one-third of all retail businesses in Atlantic City, and

WHEREAS our community will have to bear the severe and painful economic and social costs that always accompany expansive gambling, including the misery of individuals and families touched by problem gambling as they are at higher risk of divorce, bankruptcy, child abuse, domestic violence, crime, and suicide, and

WHEREAS expanded gambling will assuredly bring corruption of the governmental process as immensely wealthy gambling companies from all over the world seek to receive benefits from the local and state governments that regulate their existence and profits, and

WHEREAS full scale casino and gambling expansions will became commonplace throughout our community and our state, if the gambling interests are allowed to obtain major casino expansion, and

WHEREAS inward facing mega-developments will privatize public streets, destroy the pedestrian experience of our downtown, exacerbate traffic and denigrate the quality of life in our community, and

WHEREAS the false promises of increased revenue and jobs, like the broken promises that accompanied the lottery and other gambling expansions, are intended to convince Floridians to make a fools gamble with their future.

BE IT RESOLVED that the FLAMINGO PARK NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION through this Resolution urges the Florida Legislature to reject any and all expansions of gambling, including legislation to legalize so-called “destination casinos” in Florida.


Adopted by unanimous vote on December 5, 2011