North Carolina Republicans abandon casino effort, move forward with budget
North Carolina Republicans are abandoning efforts to include casino provisions in the state’s proposed 2023-25 budget.
Republican leaders said Tuesday night at the convention that 2023 gambling talks are officially over in the face of widespread criticism of their covert push to liberalize gambling at commercial casinos.
After state lawmakers introduced a bill to North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper (D) earlier this year to authorize online sports betting, Senate Leader Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) sought to pass casino resorts Significantly expand legal gambling. Berger urged his Republican colleagues to support a casino supplement to the budget to build casino resorts in Rockingham, Anson and Nash counties.
But House Speaker Tim Moore (R-Cleveland), who initially echoed Berger's call to support casinos, said there aren't enough Republicans in the House to pass a gambling-related budget bill. That led to a rift between the two chamber leaders, with Berger claiming Moore had reneged on the agreement.
However, Berger backtracked on Tuesday night, telling reporters that the gaming controversy would be over by 2023.
We believe this is the best and most prudent way for us to move forward," Berger said.
The state budget bill is long overdue for passage by July 1. Lawmakers are still in special session in Raleigh to pass the state's two-year spending plan.
Budget Compromise
Berger's actions regarding his gaming career raised many eyebrows.
Berger has reportedly signed a handshake deal with The Cordish Companies, a Baltimore-based gaming and hospitality company that will provide Live! The casino operator has exclusive development rights to all three casinos in North Carolina, subject to approval. Cordish executives have recently made large "political campaign contributions" to Berger and other Republicans.
Earlier this year, Republicans reached a compromise with Cooper to expand health care coverage through the federal government's 2010 Affordable Care Act, commonly known as "Obamacare." Expanding such health programs is a top priority for Cooper.
Berger believes Cooper and state Democrats should be willing to compromise on his casino push in exchange for a health care deal. But Berger, targeting the casino's opposition from local county officials and community members, found too little support in the chamber at the state Capitol.
Certainly there are differences, and ultimately we don't believe any single issue should hold up the budget," Moore said. The House speaker said his Republican colleagues determined earlier this month that only 40 of the 72 Republican seats in the House were willing to support Budget bill including gambling.
North Carolina can still open casinos because the state is home to three tribal casinos, including Harrah's Cherokee Hotel & Casino, Harrah's Cherokee Valley Hotel & Casino and Catawba Two Kings Casino. Online sports betting is expected to begin in January.
Future Spending Plan
Berger said the 2023-25 budget will be finalized and released on Wednesday, with games removed from the spending plan. Voting is expected on Thursday and Friday.
Berger and Moore believe the budget will pass smoothly. The budget is retroactive to July 1, the start of the state’s fiscal year.
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Source: www.casino.org
