Gov. Bush Signs Slots Bill For Broward County Parimutuels

Gov. Bush Signs Slots Bill Despite Personal Opposition

Florida Gov. Jeb Bush yesterday signed a slot-machine bill that “marks the broadest expansion of the state’s gambling laws since the Florida Lottery was introduced” in ’88, according to Erika Bolstad of the MIAMI HERALD. The bill will allow four Broward County parimutuels to add slot machines as soon as July. Bush said that he “felt he had a ‘constitutional duty’ to sign the bill, despite personal opposition” (MIAMI HERALD, 1/5). Magna Entertainment (MEC) Vice Chair Dennis Mills said that Gulfstream Park, which is building a 40,000-square-foot complex that will include restaurants and a sports bar, “wants to have its machines up and running in six months.” In Ft. Lauderdale, Linda Kleindienst notes on opening day of the ’06 racing season yesterday, “only part of the new complex was ready for business and a casino-style room packed with slot machines was still four months away” (Ft. Lauderdale SUN-SENTINEL, 1/5). Mills said that MEC would spend an additional $20M to “build a slots room off the second floor on the south side of the building” (Ft. Lauderdale SUN-SENTINEL, 1/5).