MIAMI – The Miami Chamber of Commerce hosted a second forum Monday on destination gaming resorts, and South Florida business owners packed the ballroom at the Hilton to hear from both sides of the issue.
"This discussion is critical because the impact of destination resort casinos, whether there is one or two or three, would just be profound on South Florida in so many ways," said Local 10's Michael Putney, who moderated the forum.
One of the investment groups wants to build a $3 billion resort on about 14 acres of prime waterfront land where the Miami Herald building now sits. The resort would feature more than 5,000 hotel rooms and 50 restaurants, but what has critics concerned the most is the planned casino and the problems it could bring to South Florida.
"From gambling addiction to prostitution to poverty that ensues when people become gambling addicts – I don't think we need it," said Katy Sorenson, who opposes destination gaming. "I think it would be very negative. These people are so successful because they make money on all the losers."
Former U.S. Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart works for the Genting Group, the investors who hope to build the massive resort along Biscayne Bay. He said the company has successfully built two destination resorts in Singapore, and in less than two years, they have generated 60,000 jobs. He believes the economic boost destination resorts would bring outweighs any social costs to South Florida.
"Let me tell you, talking about social costs, think of the social cost of 100,00 unemployed people who otherwise could have jobs and be productive for our economy," Diaz-Balart said. "So three resorts creating up to 100,000 jobs, that will augment our strength economically and it won't change our brand."