Democrats in the legislature are saying if they're not at the negotiating table, they will vote against any gambling agreement with the Seminole Tribe.
The so-called compact, which gives the tribe exclusive rights to blackjack at their casinos in return for big payments to the state , is now up for review. The exclusivity means that building big resort casinos in South Florida - or even allowing expanded gambling at pari-mutuels - would be off the table.Democratic State Representative Jim Waldman of Coconut Creek says Governor Rick Scott will have to decide between the Seminole revenue and the resort casinos that his caucus supports.
"If they don’t want to do it that’s fine", Waldman said. "But if you grant exclusivity or continue exclusivity to the Seminoles you have destroyed and ended that conversation. And I think the state would be making a tremendous mistake by ending the conversation."
Governor Scott is reported to have reached deal with the tribe already. But any deal he makes will have to be ratified by the Legislature. And, by most accounts, there are enough angry Democrats to stop it.