But there he was again Monday night, facing the TV cameras after the County Council's approval of a zoning bill allowing 4,750 slot machines at the mall. Annicelli pledged to continue to fight.
The 32-year-old Annicelli, who lives in Hanover, is president of the 200-member Stop Slots at Arundel Mills. His opponents include the governor, the county executive, a majority of the council - and, some would argue, the voters of the state and county, who overwhelmingly approved...
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Maryland Jockey Club - 2009-12-24 19:06:56
Mr. Hartley,
You wrote "Stop Slots at Arundel Mills doesn't have the money of Cordish or the bully pulpit of a county executive or governor. It can't buy full-page ads or TV spots." Please read paragraph 9 of The Capital Wednesday front page article "Arundel Mills mall casino gets green light".
To quote "The effort by Stop Slots at Arundel Mills, to be bankrolled by the Maryland Jockey Club, has until Feb. 5 to collect half of those signatures...".
I am sure we will see full-page ads and/or TV spots urging county voters to sign the referendum petition all paid for by the Maryland Jockey Club.
Of course, they will not mention that, if no casino is built, the county will either have to cut some services or raise taxes to maintain the current level of services. Or that the county revenue from a slots casino at Laurel Park will have to be shared equally with Howard County.
Nor will they mention that the bankruptcy sale of the Maryland Jockey Club (which owns Laurel and Pimlico race tracks) will result in larger bids and therefore more money for the Magna Corporation (and not the racing industry) if bidders believe slots at Laurel are still possible.
The majority of county voters voted for slots and, contrary to slots & Arundel Mills location opponents, I seriously doubt that most voters thought the ballot was strictly to place slots at Laurel.
There were a number of articles in the media about the possibility of slots at other locations withing the 2 mile limit of 295, such as Blob's Park. If the slots legislation was meant to limit slots only to Laurel race track, then the General Assembly could have drafted legislation legalizing slots to restrict a slots casino to the area encompassing 2 miles west of 295.
So no, voters were not misled and Stop Slots at Arundel Mills, with the help and funding of the Maryland Jockey Club, is trying to overturn the vote of a majority of Anne Arundel County voters.
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ted ploskon - Odenton, MD - Karma: Neutral
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