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Arundel Mills officials dive into slots fray

'For us, it is basically another anchor' store

By LIAM FARRELL, Staff Writer

Published 11/17/09

Joining the debate for the first time, the owner of Arundel Mills is publicly backing a plan to put slot machines at the Hanover shopping mall as the County Council moves toward a decisive zoning decision.

Although mostly silent since Cordish Cos. announced its proposal to put 4,750 slots at the mall in February, representatives of the company that owns the property are making it known they want the gaming facility.

"A gaming complex is especially accretive to retail sales," Gregg Goodman, the president of the Mills division of Simon Property Group, said in an interview yesterday. "For us, it is basically another anchor."

Echoing Cordish's stance, Goodman and Gene Condon, the vice-president and general manager for Arundel Mills, said existing amenities such as plentiful hotel rooms and future opportunities to add tenants such as upscale restaurants are reasons for supporting the project.

Condon said community opposition largely mirrors what was said when Arundel Mills was first proposed.

"We have delivered what we said we would deliver," he said. "We want to have (the slots facility) for a long period of time."

The company's advocacy comes as the slots proposal heads toward a critical phase. A state commission responsible for choosing slots locations appears poised to approve the Arundel Mills plan, and next month the council is set to vote on a controversial zoning change to allow the development.

The zoning decision - mandated in the state constitution - has deadlocked the council for months as members worry whether Arundel Mills is an appropriate place and how to properly protect residents nearby.

Goodman and Condon expressed frustration with what they consider to be a routine development situation. Residents around the mall fear the slots facility will burden existing infrastructure and endanger their quality of life, but the mall officials said the appropriate time to deal with those problems is in the development, and not zoning, process.

"The attitude that has been conveyed to us is just confusing," Goodman said. "(The objections) are being used as an excuse to not get to the point where they are addressed."

They emphasized no patron will have to go through the separate slots venue to reach other stores and whatever businesses follow the gambling would have to be vetted by them and compete for limited space.

"We did not want it to define the mall," Goodman said.

Mall surprise

Although many people assumed Laurel Park would end up getting slots, the referendum vote in 2008 made about a 50-square mile swath of land eligible for the machines.

Rumors popped up occasionally in that year that Arundel Mills would come forward with a proposal, but - contrary to Laurel Park officials - there was no public acknowledgement of a pending slots bid until they were all made public in February. Laurel's bid was rejected by the state because the company did not pay a required license fee.

Goodman said negotiations with Cordish took place over the course of 2008 and "became more serious as the year went on."

He disputed the idea that the companies could have announced their plans before the referendum and headed off some of the surprise. From an official business standpoint, no deal was in place until winter, he said.

"It wasn't finalized until it was announced," Goodman said. "We never announce anything until it is fully executed."

As the county debate drags on, however, speculation continues about whether there would be other viable sites for slots. One county bill under consideration would only zone parcels south of Route 32, eliminating Arundel Mills, and other developers have occasionally floated their own land in the event of Cordish's proposal falling through.

Goodman dismissed those discussions as "opportunistic talk."

"All of those people had the opportunity to be involved in this process in the past," he said.

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Too many unanswered questions - 2009-11-24 08:53:56

How many gaming positions will there be? Don't know. It will not be 4,750 single-person slot machines - it could be 4,500 slot machines and 250 "table game" machines that have 6 seats each - or 6,000 total seats. Or perhaps even more seats.

Where is there space for Simon to add even more restaurants as indicated? And associated parking? Unanswered.

Speaking of "upscale", just recently on one of the outparcel properties, Pier 1 Imports shut down and has been replaced by Dollar Tree. Yup, the market at Arundel Mills is certainly moving upscale.

How does Simon plan to address the loss of a significant amount of parking spaces at the mall during the lengthy construction process? Another unanswered question.

Cordish has repeatedly indicated that peak times for the mall and for slots are not the same, but has never answered when those peaks are. Why? Likely because Saturday afternoon and evening would be peak for both.

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Keith Jamison - Hanover, MD - Karma: Neutral

Arundel Mills - 2009-11-23 11:59:46

will create more long term jobs than BRAC will. The Cordish company has a history of building great project around the country. Years ago Janet Owens dubbed the Hanover, Odenton and the western part of the county, the gold coast, now it is starting to become that, deal with it. The county needs the jobs and the money. Frankly don't think anyone really would want to have a casino in Laurel the crime in that area is terrible, why would anyone want to go there. The area is perfect they have hotels, food, good access to roads, Laurel has none of that. Let's be practical!!

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Pat Magnum - Arnold, MD - Karma: Excellent

County Council doing its job !! - 2009-11-22 00:46:32

The County Council is doing its job in deliberating on the impact of slots casino at Arundel Mills Mall. The State wisely gave the "locals" the power to accept or reject an acceptable location for this "quality of life changing" facility. Atlantic City,NJ's unemployment rate is 12.2%, and though the crime rate is lower now, it rose dramatically the first ten years of gaming. Only after increased on-site security and the hiring of additional police, did the city's crime rate begin to decline. Ten years it took to stop the rise in crime. Cordish made promises and attached covenants to Arundels Mills to protect residents, and now that it is inconventient, the company wants to view those covenants along Leopold as "flexible and weak". And of course, Goodman and Condon want "conditions" attached during construction, not at zoning. But then, once out of the hands of the Council and in the hands of "flexible, weak" administration, the people lose their voice on decision making. This decision is a zoning decision, which is about appropriate growth for Anne Arundel County. We the people spent a lot of years building an attractive safe place to live for families. We have a right to expect those years of hard work to be respected. These are business men, they want to maximize their profits, ok. But those profits cannot come from the deminishing property values of home owers and increases in unsavory living conditions. Laurel's future is also a major concern. Putting slots at Arundel Mills, ccndemns us to years of debate on what happens to and at Laurel. The County Council needs to take this decision seriously, it is irreversible.

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Maryellen Brady - Edgewater, MD - Karma: Neutral

slots - a fine controversy - 2009-11-21 01:26:40

: : . .Slots need to be at Arundel Mills because it will allow me to regain my ATF license.!..( which I had held for 28 years) . . ..Not only will I get the full right to sell guns and ammunition there but I can easily and properly set-up a grandious PAWN SHOP to feed the gambling trade. . . . which is totally allowed under an ATF license.!! . . . You bet more. . . U sell more to me. . I make more.! . . Zoning being already compromised cannot stop an existent federal license.! . . ..Common zoning make me rich.! . . .Make Mills Corp. richer and Cordish the richest. . . . Do your duty AACo Zoning. . . .!!

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vvoof vvoof - lynnbrook, md - Karma: Neutral

Responses - 2009-11-20 20:57:02

I am not lobbying. I do not gamble and likely would not.

Gaming reduced crime in Atlantic City. That is a FACT. Yes, it brought some organized crime to the area, but I have to think that most of that was more in relation to the tables and "whales" than slot machines and the nickel players.

With the amount of money that will be there you can bet there will be a substantial police force. And they will work in the surrounding areas. Who wants to gamble if they are going to be mugged by parking lot thugs? Think about it!

I am sorry you felt that the only location was to be in Laurel Park. That was not how the referrendum was written. Did you vote? You neglected to answer that question. But the FACT remains that more than 50% of Marylanders, more than 50% of County residents, and more than 50% of the people in the affected districts (both Hanover and Laurel) voted FOR the slots.

Yes it will create jobs for cocktail waitresses, slot attendants, maintenance people, security guards, valets, food service workers and so forth. $100K + jobs no, but I am unaware that anyone was promoting that. In this economy, a job is a job--period. But in the interim it will take two years to build and there will be a lot of jobs required to build that.

Honestly, I couldn't care less if we have slots or not. The revenue will certainly help the deficit, but the FACT remains that the voters have spoken and the COUNTY COUNCIL refuses to do their job. They need to either vote them in or vote them out. Let the cards fall where they may.

I really have no sympathy for the NIMBYS who were ignorant of the surroundings and the events going on in the County that so profoundly impacted their lives. I do not think it is the job of the Council to attempt to decide voter intent.

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John Frenaye - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Excellent

John - 2009-11-20 09:45:10

Stop with the lobbying already... it makes me wonder if you are being paid by Cordish.

Your posts constantly distort what others post, disparage those who have ideas opposed to yours and make outlandish (and unsubstantiated) claims about the benefits of putting slots at the mall.

My two favorite claims by you (and others) is that slots will make the mall safer and provide thousands of jobs. What kind of jobs? Cocktail waitress, valet, janitorial? Good jobs, but not the 6 figure incomes that people are implying will be created. As for making the mall and surrounding area safer... how? By an increased police presence? If you bring an enterprise to an area that increases crime and therefore requires more police to quell that crime, is it really making the area safer? What about the areas losing police presence as it is shifted... is that area safer? Stop implying that the casino will somehow provide a force that will patrol the area keeping order. Casinos don't do that. Oh, and they don't run sobriety checkpoints either.

Please, don't state your opinions as fact... just be honest. Either you want slots because you want to gamble close to home, you want them because you think the taxes will help you (or your county and state), or you want slots because someone is paying you to say you want slot. Which is it?

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Laz Johnston - churchton, md - Karma: Neutral

200,000 Sq Ft - 2009-11-19 19:26:22

The proposed casino is for 200,000 square feet. But I was wrong about the MGM on my last post...there are only about 2600 slot machines. The MGM's floor space includes table games. And for evidence of vices...go to Atlantic City, Vegas, Maccu and see for yourself. Vices are part and parcel of 'retail-entertainment' in the 'gamming' industry.

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Rob Annicelli - hanover, MD - Karma: Excellent

You Come On - 2009-11-19 18:25:11

Hey John, (1) I never said that "over 50% of the people in that district are illiterate;" and, no reasonable reading of what I said could draw that inference. In my opinion, the people of this state were intentionally misled, because the articles that they were (quite capably)reading all talked about placing the slots in Anne Arundel county at the race track in Laurel, an adult environment, for the purpose of saving the horse racing industry (which to some people is of historic significance). No one before the vote was taken was publicly talking about placing slots at the mall, and as this article makes clear (and neither Cordish nor Simon deny)Cordish and Simon Property were actively engaged in making such plans all along. The only reasonable inference is that they felt that to let the public know of their plans would probably jeopardize a favorable vote. I doubt that if the people of this county knew then, what we know now, that another vote would turn out the same way.
(2) Where on earth do you get the data to support your suggestion that bringing gambling to the mall will result in a safer environment? The history of gambling in our own state has proven that your statement is false.

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Debra Myers - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Neutral

Some facts - 2009-11-18 18:57:54

Currently there is 1.2 million square feet of leasable mall space. THe casino is proposed at 200,000 square feet or an increase of less than 17%. The proposed casino will be smaller than the current "under roof" footage of Bass Pro Shops. So Simon is correct in that it is another anchor for them.

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John Frenaye - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Excellent

Come on - 2009-11-18 18:38:22

Rob--MGM also has 170,000 square feet of table gaming space that is NOT part of the plan for an AA Casino. You make it sound like Mills is an idyllic place as it is now. Do you let your kids walk from the mall to the parking lot alone at night? Thought not! When the casino comes, there will be more security, more local police, etc. It will be safer than it is now.

And Debra--I am sorry that you feel that over 50% of the people in that district are illiterate. They voted for the slots! The County Council (the same one) also required a clarification of the definition literally a few weeks before the election. If those that are opposed chose not to vote on the issue, whose fault is that? I mean really?

The locations were VERY clear. There were three people interested in putting slots in AA. One dropped out early, one was Magna and they are BK and the third was Cordish.

Why wouldn't Mills want a casino? It will bring more people. It will employ some of the thousands that are now unemployed. It will allow the stores that are there now, to do a little better. It will bring a safer environment.

Rob, it is really a low blow to insinuate that with slot machines will come prostitution, porno shops, and such. Where is your documentation on that?

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John Frenaye - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Excellent

arundel mills is perfect - 2009-11-17 20:07:10

seriously my fellow american, look at Arundel Mills as it is, would you like to live near that monstrosity ? I sure would not. It has the parking lot, the flashing lights, the bigger than life grandiosity. It is an ideal fit. The people voted for slots, this area serves the good of the people. Or maybe we might want to rethink slots altogether and vote it away.

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Fred Shubbie - annapolis , md - Karma: Terrible

Arundel Mills is pro slots - 2009-11-17 18:39:45

Finally, we are starting to see who the real players are here! The Simon Property Group and Cordish both hid their interest in bringing gambling to the mall and intentionally allowed Maryland voters to be mislead into believing the slots would be placed at Laurel to save the horce racing industry.

I have been disappointed in some of the groups who have been suckered into believing this project is good for Maryland. They should know better. (1) The teacher's union. First, you are telling the children of this state that the ends justify the means. Any source of funding, even gambling, is o.k. provided the funds are used to support schools. We could make prostitution and street drugs legal too, and tax them. Would the teacher's union support that also? Second, look at the facts. Take Illinois, for example. Educators are still crying for funding because the state funds that were originally designated for education were removed when some gambling funds were raised. The schools weren't guaranteed more money, they ended up with less. Also, weren't the Maryland lottery funds supposed to be used to save education. How well has that worked for you? (2) The police and firefighter's union advertisement was in the paper a couple of days ago right behind Cordish's employment fair notice. We know by our own state history that crime increases when gambling is authorized. Union officials ... was your endorsement meant to be some kind of job security ... certainly we will need more police officers. But remember, with more crime comes enhanced danger to your brothers. And the first time one of your brother's blood is spilt at Arundel Mills, in my opinion, it will be on your hands.

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Debra Myers - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Neutral

Larger than MGM Grand in Vegas - 2009-11-17 15:16:42

Slots just another anchor? The MGM Grand in Las Vegas has 3,500 slot machines. This casino would have 4,750 slot machines. Gambling, and all of the vices that go with it, such as pawn shops and adult theaters will consume the entire region if it is ever built (just not within 1,000 feet of the casino). Parents from all over the state can drop their children off at the Lego store while they gamble their futures away. Employees from NSA can come by for lunch and enjoy a few spins of the wheel - no national security risk here?

This is not free enterprise...the machines themselves will be owned and operated by the State of Maryland. The bidders get 33% of the take and do not even have to pay a dime for the machines.

Simon Corporation, seriously? Simon says it should be so, so should we do what Simon says? No...

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Rob Annicelli - hanover, MD - Karma: Excellent

Slots Defining the Mall? - 2009-11-17 13:52:26

Of course it's going to define the mall. It's going to run the whole length of the mall. Simon's is just as out of touch as Cordish. At least the kids can make lego slot machines at Arundel Mills now.

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Chung Shek - Hanover, MD - Karma: Neutral