Casino and commissioners at odds over slots at MIA

MIAMI (WSVN) -- A gamble to make money at a South Florida airport with slot machines is not flying over well, you might say, as it has Miami-Dade County commissioners and a new casino at odds.

The Magic City Casino, located about a mile and half away from Miami International Airport said the commissioners' decision to consider putting slot machines in the airport is already placing a burden on business. "We're already having much more difficulty from our lenders," said Barbara Havenick, CEO of the Flagler Dog Track, which runs the casino.

The commissioners decided to go ahead with the very preliminary plan, even though it might jeopardize their relationship with parimutuels, which only recently earned the right to have slot machines at their venues. They have a contract with the county to give one and half percent of their gross gaming revenue to the county. That money to the county increased just two weeks ago when Flagler opened their casino.

It's already made $50,000 for the County, but now, the gaming site said, putting slot machines in the terminal hurts their business and violates their agreement by creating competition.

Getting final approval for the airport slot machines, however, could be a long shot. But the county thinks it's worth their luck, after voting to apply for a permit. "If it looks as though that we may actually loose money because of potential litigation, we may want to really rethink this," noted Miami-Dade Commissioner Katy Sorenson.

Not all commissioners agree, but the overall feeling is that the airport slots would not directly compete with parimutuels, as the slot machines have been proposed to be placed beyond airport security. "I do not understand how in any circumstance slot machines inside the secured area of the airport is competition with anyone outside the secured area," said Miami-Dade County Manager George Burgess.

However, Havenick remains skeptical. "I understand that today it's behind security," she said, "but we have no guarantee that tomorrow it won't be in front."

If the new casino and the owners of the Flagler Racetrack do feel that the county has gone against its contract, they would have to take that to court. But if the county does not win that legal battle, and they're not granted their permit, the county will have lost really big on this one.

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