Marsh threatens lottery legislation: Why?

Rickey Stokes

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Posted by: RStokes
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Date: Mar 25 2019 8:56 AM

MONTGOMERY:     

A bill sponsored by State Sen. Jim McClendon giving Alabama citizens an opportunity to vote on a constitutional amendment to allow a lottery is being questioned by one of its co-sponsors. The bi-partisan legislation is co-sponsored by Sens. Jimmy Holley, Steve Livingston, Bobby Singleton, Roger Smitherman, Billy Beasley and Del Marsh.

Last week, Marsh, who is the powerful President Pro Tempore of the Senate, suddenly voiced a problem with the measure, first saying he didn’t like how the lottery funds would be distributed and later changed his story to say he opposed permitting Video Lottery Terminals at the state’s existing four racetracks.

Marsh’s quick turnabout is widely seen as a capitulation to the Poarch Band of Creek Indians who stand to lose their billion-dollar gaming monopoly if VLTs are allowed at the race courses where peri-mutual gaming is already legal. PCI owns one of the four courses, the Mobile racetrack.

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