By the time The Cordish Cos. made a public sales pitch to the state's Video Lottery Facility Location Commission to place slot machines at Arundel Mills mall in Hanover, opponents of the project had already mobilized.
A meeting in an antiseptic conference room on Sept. 9, 2009, began coolly enough, as company officials emphasized how a 10-acre gambling facility with a parking deck, restaurants and entertainment venues would generate billions of dollars of tax revenue for the state in its first 15 years of operation.
"This is truly a unique opportunity to create a world-class destination," said Joe...
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home location is a choice - 2010-08-30 14:57:20
I don't live near the mall b/c I chose not to buy near a commercial area. Just like I don't live near the airport b/c I chose not to buy where there would be air traffic noise. You can't move near a commercial area and then complain about the commercial development. Especially when it benefits the rest of the county.
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Gordon Smith - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Neutral
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Voter for Question A? - 2010-08-26 23:18:13
How long are you going to continue to believe the lie. Do you remember why the Lottery was brought in? Yes, to save education remember? If it was such a great deal why is the scare tactic once again being used? The move to put it at the mall is nothing more than Greed... I understand the desire to put it there, Cordish would significantly cut his cost (less infrastructure for him to build), and he can exploit the high volume of foot traffic from the mall. The real truth is that even if it does generate the over-inflated revenue projections, it still won't solve the over-spending by our elected official, so guess what... our politicians will still raise our taxes and continue to overspend. When have they *ever* lowered our taxes? They used that story with the lottery, and O'Malley still gave us the largest tax increase in history. By the way, the vote in AA county was NOT overwhelming... and the vote for the AA VLT specifically provided for the zoning decision by the county. The Stop Slots movement is not ANTI-SLOTs, it's ANTI-Mall Slots... there are other W1 zoned properties within the 2.5 mile corridor of 295 that could have been used and the Slots would already be up and running. But NO, Greed wants it at a Mall, and this has far more long term ramifications than just getting the Money. Folks better think it through before they just vote to get the money.
Buy the way, where do you live? Clearly not in the AA Mall area eh? Do you want it near your home to drop your home value? More traffic on already failing roads? More Crime and DUI problems? Show me one community where it made things better? Or where it was a good thing and in the mall (100 feet from the food court at the mall).. that whole parking lot is going to be used.
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David Leazer - Hanover, MD - Karma: Neutral
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License First, then Zoning! - 2010-08-26 22:49:09
For those who doubt, that the state issued a license *BEFORE* the Zoning was in place, here are the links and timeline. It was our state officials who jumped the gun before zoning was in place AS required by the Referendum.
License issued to Cordish on: 8 Dec 2009 (Baltimore Sun)
http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2009-12-08/news/bal-md.slots08dec08_1_cordish-cos-slots-casino-arundel-mills
Two Bills passed by County Council on 21 Dec 2009, (Wbal 22 Dec 09)
http://www.wbaltv.com/money/22025538/detail.html
Leopold signed zoning into effect on 22 Dec 09. (Washington Post, 22 Dec 09
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/annapolis/2009/12/leopold_signs_slots_bill_for_a.html
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David Leazer - Hanover, MD - Karma: Neutral
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Voter for Question A - 2010-08-25 11:53:08
The voters approved slots and the county council approved the zoning changes to bring much-needed revenue to Maryland and Anne Arundel County. If Question A is approved I've heard the county could get $30 million each year. I don't think taxpayers can afford to pay more to make up for that. $30 million can by a lot of school books, pave a lot of roads and make important upgrades for our public safety.
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randy thomas - , - Karma: Neutral
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