Lawmakers Introduce South Carolina Casino LegislationThe State's Economic Stimulus Act Could Bring A Casino To Cities Near I-95 |
|
South Carolina lawmakers introduced legislation last week that would bring land-based casinos to the Palmetto State.
Under the current legal landscape, gambling is basically nonexistent in South Carolina. There are no brick-and-mortar or online casinos, and sports betting is prohibited as well.
The bipartisan I-95 Economic and Education Stimulus Act would establish a state gaming commission that could award casino licenses in some of the state’s more impoverished or economically disadvantaged counties.
The bill was introduced to the house ways and means committee and would tax casino adjusted gross gaming revenue at 15%. Some cities in the Interstate 95 area are already considering the possibilities of adding casino resorts.
The city of Santee has a population of about 1,000 and is considered one of the state’s most underdeveloped, impoverished regions. The city is located in Orangeburg County, about two hours east of Augusta, Georgia. Developers believe a casino in the area could attract tourists from South Carolina and Georgia.
Greenville businessman Wallace Cheves proposed a $1 billion casino resort for the area that could potentially be an economic boon in the region. He says the project would be funded completely by private investors.
“We strongly believe that this investment should be driven by private enterprise, not taxpayer dollars, ensuring no financial risk to the public sector,” he said.
Cheves added that the resort would create “thousands of good-paying jobs, driving tourism, and expanding business opportunities for local communities.”
Some local officials have expressed support for a casino project in the area.
“I-95 is one of the places … considered in the poverty belt for some counties, and so any economic development would be looked at favorably because of the fact that it would boost tourism and infrastructure as well as housing in that area,” Orangeburg County Administrator Harold Young told WLTX.
The Santee Development Corporation owns a local abandoned mall and is considering transforming the property into a casino that would include a hotel, spa, restaurant, and more. Developers believe the resort would create more than 4,600 new jobs and bring in $58 million in annual tax revenue.
“It’s time to stop kicking the same can down the road and take a new approach – to think differently and with an open mind," the corporation said in a statement. "There’s a tangible, transformative and life-changing opportunity for one such area, Orangeburg County, and along the I-95 corridor staring us in the face, without one dime of taxpayer risk.”
Lawmakers in the state have considered legalizing sports betting in recent months as well, but that hasn’t come to fruition. South Carolina isn’t the only state considering casino legalization.
Photo courtesy of Shutterstock
Copyright © 2001-2025
CardPlayer.com. All rights reserved.
