Jobs and Revenue, Mr. Cordish, Job and Revenue…

I don’t like the fact that the Maryland Legislator is currently in Special Session to propose a Constitutional Amendment legalizing a 6th Casino in Maryland.  It’s clear the Prince George’s Delegation has made a backroom deal to sell their souls for a piece of the limited Gambling revenue Maryland has to offer.  The whole slots idea is not a terrible plan, but the way Maryland has approached this is a total botch job that will likely never be cleaned up.  I won’t rehash the details, just go read my previous blogs about Gambling and Horse Racing in Maryland.

But right now, I am taking a tiny bit of satisfaction in knowing that Frank Cordish is watching his business dreams of Maryland Live! being the dominant casino in Maryland getting flushed down the crapper.  The same tactics he used to take the Anne Arundel Casino from Laurel Racetrack (Jobs and Revenue) are now being used against him to get a Casino in National Harbor, which will take away all Business from DC south away from Maryland Live! (Yes Rosecroft is theoretically in the running, but the bidding game has been rigged in favor of National Harbor.) 

Table games or not, Maryland Live! need only look to Perryville to see what will happen to their gambling palace once National Harbor and Baltimore's Casinos come on-line.  When the Arundel Mills Casino came on-line, Perryville lost so much business, that they have petitioned the Maryland Gaming Commission to take back half of the slots.  And Perryville has had to lay off workers at the Hollywood Casino as well.  The same thing will happen at Arundel Mills.  When the Baltimore and National Harbor Casinos come on line, Maryland Live!’s business will come from Northern Anne Arundel, Howard, and Northern Prince George’s County—that’s it!  The voters will have their say in November, but I'll predict it goes 60-40 in favor of a Prince George's Casino at National Harbor.

I voted against the Constitutional Amendment in 2008, and against Question A in 2010.  I was on the losing side both times.  I should vote against the Constitutional Amendment again this year, but after what Cordish did, if Cordish opposes the Casino, I may vote for it.  As a Baltimore businessman, Frank, you should know never to get in bed with Maryland politicians.  You’re now a speed bump for Martin O’ Malley’s quest for the White House in 2016.  Time for you, Mr. Cordish, to bend over and squeal.