Elected Officials Weigh in on Proposed Casino at National Harbor
Casino bill has passed Maryland Senate.
Local elected officials from Alexandria and the Route 1 corridor have told Patch they believe the creation of a proposed casino at National Harbor would not have a great effect on the Virginia side of the Potomac River.
State Del. Scott Surovell, D-44th, said he has no moral opposition to gambling but would support only bills that include a fair deal for taxpayers. A casino at National Harbor might produce some pressure to build more hotels in the northern Route 1 area, he said.
“I just wish there was something we could do on our side of the river to bring that type of investment and jobs next to the Beltway there,” Surovell said. “I think that area has a lot of potential, but it needs some infrastructure development, and I think the county really needs to make it a priority for investment.”
Earlier this month, the Maryland Senate passed a bill that would allow table games such as blackjack and a casino in Prince George’s County. The vote came after Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley called a special session to resolve the debate over expanding gambling in the state.
The measure has stalled in the Maryland House of Delegates. Voters would have to approve the expanded gambling plan in November before it could take effect.
The developer of National Harbor has engaged in negotiations with MGM Resorts, a major gaming company, to operate a casino at the development, which sits across the Potomac River from Alexandria. Nearby Rosecroft Raceway has also been mentioned as a potential site for a new gambling venue.
State Sen. Adam Ebbin, D-30th, said he personally doesn’t approve of casino gambling but thinks a casino at National Harbor could be a draw for Virginia residents.
“It’s clearly Maryland’s decision what they want to do in their state, and the only concern that I would have is if we have any kind of traffic problems,” he said. “But I think the bridge and the approaches to the bridge seem able to handle that.”
State Sen. Toddy Puller, D-36th, said she had heard no feedback from her constituents about the proposed casino and hoped, if allowed, it wouldn’t affect people living in her district.
“It may increase the water taxi situation down in Alexandria, and that would probably actually be a good thing, but I don’t want any kind of gambling on our side, and I hope it would not have any other effect than helping some of the businesses in Old Town.”
Alexandria City Councilman Rob Krupicka, who is running for state delegate in the 45th district, said he didn’t foresee a great effect on Alexandria if the bill becomes law.
“We get a lot of business from National Harbor from people looking for more of an authentic, historic town experience, and I don’t think that’s going to change, and I don't think it's going to create any kind of specific spilllover problems for our town,” he said.
Andrew Macdonald
10:09 am on Wednesday, August 15, 2012
I think gambling is a terrible way to raise tax revenue, whether its in Maryland or Virginia. National Harbor is a blight on the Potomac and adding gambling here will not turn a pig into a sow.
OT insider
6:38 pm on Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Really Andrew? Aren't you supposed to be running for some election here in Alexandria? I realize you are obsessed with the waterfront (apparently both sides of it) but shouldn't you focus on city issues and leave this for the folks in Maryland and PG county to decide?
Gail G
10:54 am on Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Andrew, it's not up to us. Maryland Governor O'Malley just signed the measure so it will be built. I understand that for some gambling becomes an addiction, and that might require more social services or lead to an increase in crime, but the best we can do is try to take advantage of the influx of visitors and market Old Town as an alternative place to stay or dine for tourists visiting National Harbor and try to keep any related crime problems over there.
Marie S.
11:12 am on Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Hey Andrew - National Harbor is not a blight. As an Alexandria resident who is EMPLOYED at National Harbor, I take great offense to that. I enjoy my job and see the million+ people it brings to the area every year (not to mention the tremendous economic impact it has on driving business to Old Town Alexandria and the surrounding region - just ask any of the shopkeepers and restauranteurs in Old Town, not to mention the Potomac Riverboat Company, Mount Vernon, etc.) FYI - there are MANY Alexandria residents employed at National Harbor, and we are very thankful for our jobs and the tremendous economic impact it brings to the entire region. A blight? Hardly. Not when it's impacting so many of our residents in a positive way.
Johnny
12:07 pm on Wednesday, August 15, 2012
old town and national harbor and pgco and Maryland will all benefit from a high-end casino at national harbor. Money will come to the entire region.
Katy Cannady
12:29 pm on Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Money coming in? Only to the casino owners with a cut ( how large?) for Maryland taxpayers. Nowadays everything that is built is called high-end. This place is not going to resemble the Monti Carlo featured in James Bond movies. Probably most of the people who come to gamble will never leave the casino -- unless it's find a ATM machine.
LT
1:22 pm on Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Casinos raise the level of serious crime in a community over time, despite casino revenues spent on additional police, according to a study.
The study, "Casinos, Crime and Community Costs," looked at all 3,165 counties in the United States from 1977 to 1996. Its conclusion: Five years after a casino opens, serious crime in the area goes up dramatically when compared to neighboring areas, even after adjusting for economic trends and other factors.
According to the study, five years after a casino opens, robbery in the community goes up 136 percent, aggravated assault is up 91 percent, auto theft is up 78 percent, burglary is up 50 percent, larceny is up 38 percent, rape is up 21 percent and murder is up 12 percent, compared to neighboring communities.
Marie S.
2:19 pm on Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Thank you for this information. It's very telling. I'm very much opposed to a Casino coming to National Harbor..as both an Alexandria resident but even more so as a National Harbor employee. As I mentioned in my comment above, I am an Alexandria resident who has been employed at National Harbor for the past 6 years (since even before it opened to the public). I love what the Harbor has become ... a safe place for families, locals and out-of-town tourists to enjoy the waterfront, restaurants, shopping, outdoor festivals and year-round events, etc. .... and also as a MAJOR leading convention destination on the East Coast. I hope National Harbor remains "as is" for many years to come. If the Casino is allowed to be built, it will only spell disaster for this wonderful place because it most definitely will attract the types of individuals who perpetrate crime (hoodlums, etc.) Even the poor little blue-hair grandmas who love casinos will be too scared to come here. SMH! (Hoping that the Maryland voters will shoot this one down in November.)
LT
1:24 pm on Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Hence - Alexandria get ready for additional crime spreading across the bridge once MD begins to "benefit" from gambling revenues.
McBrinn
4:49 pm on Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Wouldn't it be great if the Old Town waterfront plan included a boutique casino? Maybe a high end brothel too?
Scooby's Doo
12:12 am on Friday, August 17, 2012
Good point. Since Le Tache opened, I've always thought they should do some kind of curated exhibit. What would prostitutes wear during Alexandria's early seaport history? As a seaport, you know some of that business was going on. I wonder if the Office of Historic Alexandria has any info about the key, um, landmarks. Old Townies love to evoke history and reminisce about an imagined past. Lets find out more about the real past.
Sarah
9:40 pm on Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Yes the bridge could handle the traffic from VA but the exit to National Harbor cannot. Did no one else the traffic nightmare in MD when Maryland Live opened up? What about the runners getting out of their cars because a certain road race last December over sold bibs and the disaster it created back to the mixing bowl!
Jim Miller
12:03 am on Thursday, August 16, 2012
The majority of people going to any kind of a casino at National Harbor, will probably spend most of their time there, gambling. Period. And I'm also quite sure that there will be a more than sufficient police and security force in place, to also keep out any riff-raff, too. Gaylord Entertainment, which has already made quite a sizable investment on the property at National Harbor, will make sure that they have a heavy security package implemented for any casino, so the thought that all of a sudden, that because of legalized gambling there, that there will be a relatively huge increase in crime on both sides of the Potomac is a joke. The State of Maryland will no doubt also have a larger security presence at National Harbor, with more state troopers on property, as well. Alexandria won't have any significant increase in crime once the casino gets built at National Harbor. That thought is just farcical, because, once again, if there's any potential of 'trouble', it's more likely to 'possibly' happen right at National Harbor itself, instead of in the City of Alexandria. Crimes naturally happen anywhere, with or without casinos. A National Harbor casino, just do to the nature of their business, gambling, will have an intense amount of security, as well as scrutiny, but they will create jobs, as well as bring in money to both Prince George's County and to the State of Maryland. A casino at National Harbor is coming soon, Alexandria, so welcome additional tourists to Old Town.
LT
3:55 pm on Thursday, August 16, 2012
Mr. Miller - The post which noted an academic study on the rise in crime over time in neighborhoods wherein casinos and such gambling venues are located is not, as you state, "just a farcical thought" on my part. Why don't you, assuming you are a citizen of Alexandria and really want to engage in an intelligent conversation on the subject, read the available non-biased academic studies on the issue. True analysis and debate can only happened with an informed citizenry -- otherwise we engage in verbal "dia...."
McBrinn
6:50 am on Thursday, August 16, 2012
Brilliant analysis Jim. Would you care to claim that Ames, Iowa and Atlantic City, New Jersey have similar crime rates?
Mark Mueller
7:35 am on Thursday, August 16, 2012
Here is an interesting and relevant read in today's Post: http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/did-casino-donations-drive-md-law/2012/08/15/158c3368-e70c-11e1-a3d2-2a05679928ef_story.html
Jim Miller
10:28 am on Thursday, August 16, 2012
McBrinn, Ames, Iowa, Atlantic City, New Jersey are apples and oranges in comparison to a casino that's planned at National Harbor. If you think that Alexandria's crime rate will suddenly spike when National Harbor opens their casino, you'll be sadly mistaken.
McBrinn
12:41 pm on Thursday, August 16, 2012
But Jim, you stated:
"Crimes naturally happen anywhere, with or without casinos."
So I pulled two similarly sized cities out of my hat. One has casinos, one doesn't. And yet their crime rates are wildly disparate. Have a look at the stats below and please explain how the casino has no impact on crime rate.
http://www.areaconnect.com/crime/compare.htm?c1=ames+&s1=IA&c2=atlantic+city&s2=NJ
tom blackwood
4:04 pm on Thursday, August 16, 2012
McBrinn, it seems a little unfair to compare a city in the Midwest that is 82% white, has an unemployment rate of 4.1% and a median household income of $37K with a Northeast city that is 84% non-white, has an unemployment rate of 17.7% and a median household income of $29K. Ames residents also have a lower cost of living compared to the rest of the country and 59% have obtained an education level of at least a bachelor’s degree or higher while Atlantic City residents have a higher than average cost of living and less than 10% of the population has an education level of bachelor’s degree or higher. Even for someone that clearly likes to argue, I think you can admit that perhaps the hat you pulled these two out of was a little too big for fair argument purposes.
JoeB90
7:23 pm on Thursday, August 16, 2012
I find it interesting that Montgomery Co endorses the idea of a new casino - in Prince George's Co!
Jim Miller
2:43 pm on Thursday, August 16, 2012
McBrinn, and, yes, you brought out my point, exactly, which is that people in our society who are out to commit crimes, don't necessarily need a casino, or some kind of gambling environment around them, to commit one. I just don't see that anyone can accurately forecast crime at National Harbor, with the introduction of one casino, on how that will specifically impact the City of Alexandria. The City of Alexandria has a very low crime rate, and, I would suspect that if trends continue, which I hope it will, and I know you do, too, that nothing will change after a casino is open at National Harbor. There's no doubt that casinos and gambling, where very large amounts of money are exchanged, will probably bring with it potential problems of people who might be inclined to conduct crime, but I'm also betting (no pun intended) that there will be a huge security force in place to curb any crime at National Harbor. If National Harbor would see a huge spike in crime, it would definitely hurt the Gaylord Hotel and Convention Center, and Gaylord Entertainment, as people would naturally not want to stay on their property. They know that now, and I'm quite sure that they're putting together plans to implement a full range of security options to hinder any criminals from being a part of the casino experience. The Potomac River also acts as a natural boundary, and despite the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, I don't see criminals targeting the City of Alexandria. It just doesn't make sense.
nancy
5:31 pm on Thursday, August 16, 2012
It could go to Rosecroft you know... The voters will decide, then a bidding process. It's not a done deal at the Harbor. PNG has deep pockets too when they want something.
JoeB90
7:21 pm on Thursday, August 16, 2012
Let's see the Government profits from Alcohol (ABC stores, liqueur licenses, taxes, etc), Gambling (lotteries, casino licenses, taxes- again, etc) so the next logical vice for the government to begin profiting from is - PROSTITUTION!
Jim Miller
8:18 pm on Thursday, August 16, 2012
A casino at National Harbor. Thank about it people. What's really comical here, is that we, as Alexandrians, and as Virginians, are bantering back and forth on an issue of which we can't actually vote on this November. So no matter what our opinion is, one way or another, it's all just conjecture and speculation anyways. Maryland voters will decide whether or not a casino goes to National Harbor, and it it does, so be it. I welcome a casino to National Harbor. When I gamble, I at least try to count cards or try to follow a shoe, even if it's got four to six decks in them. I've been tossed out of a few casinos in my day, while at the blackjack tables, 'accused' of counting cards. But I digress. I'll be at the blackjack tables at the casino at National Harbor, when I get the chance and I'm sure I'll see quite a few Alexandrians over there with me, too. But, hey, we better get extra security alarms and locks for all of our doors and windows, because criminals might break in while we're at National Harbor!