Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson pragmatic about casino idea
Mayor Eric Johnson (R-Dallas) is not opposed to the idea of a casino hotel near the city. But he's also not eager to support such a plan. Instead, he said, more discussion of the topic is needed.
Speaking at a Dallas Chamber of Commerce luncheon on Tuesday, Johnson told attendees that the possibility of eventually building an integrated resort in Texas' second-largest city has not yet been discussed.
"It's not going to happen just because the Legislature says so," Johnson said. "I'm not involved in those discussions. I don't think they actually happen. I think at some point, if he [Mark Cuban] seriously wants to To actually have casino gambling, and if he's serious about having it in Dallas, then I think that's a conversation that a lot of people are ready to have. But honestly, we're not."
The mayor's comments on the matter were his first since Ph.D. Miriam Adelson and the Miriam Adelson Trust announced the acquisition of a majority stake in the Dallas Mavericks. Adelson is the largest individual shareholder in Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE: LVS), the company founded and made famous by her late husband, Sheldon Adelson.
Johnson said there was a lot to discuss
The mayor's comments at a House luncheon come days after reports surfaced that a limited liability company (LLC) with ties to Sands purchased land in Irving, Texas. Before that, the gaming company announced that Adelson would sell $2 billion worth of stock, with the proceeds going to fund the Mavericks acquisition.
In July, a limited liability company called Village Walk RE 2 LLC purchased 108 acres across from the now-demolished Texas Stadium. The company shares a mailing address in Las Vegas with Sands Corp., fueling speculation that Adelson was acquiring majority control of the Mavericks for more than just owning an NBA team.
Cuban, a future minority owner of the Mavericks, has made no secret of his desire to open a casino-hotel in the Dallas area and has previously said his ideal partner for such a project is Las Vegas Sands. He plans to create a massive entertainment district that would include a casino hotel and the Mavericks' new arena.
Citing Universal Studios' plans to develop a $550 million theme park in Frisco, Texas, Johnson cited the need to assess the impact of casino hotels on communities.
"That sounds good in a way. But there's another aspect: They're bringing a lot of people here for a specific purpose, but not necessarily to live in Frisco," the Dallas mayor noted.
Other moving parts
It's no secret that gambling companies want to establish themselves in Texas. But making that ambition a reality is another matter. Johnson noted that Cuban and local leaders will not only have to decide where the casino hotel will be located, but also answer questions about land use.
The mayor added that discussions about casinos in Dallas are separate from what needs to happen in Austin, the Texas capital. He may be referring to the political environment that is not yet conducive to gaming expansion in the state.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R) recently said the Texas Senate did not vote to send casino gambling legislation to Gov. Greg Abbott (R). Bills related to casino gambling and sports betting in Texas made more progress than before during this year's legislative session, but ultimately failed.
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Source: www.casino.org
