Anne Arundel Casino Gambling Put On Hold By Board Of Elections

The battle to expand the casino gambling industry in Maryland has been long and fought hard by both sides of the gambling issue. On Thursday, those opposed to a new casino in Anne Arundel won a brief victory.

The Cordish Co. is expected to build the casino at Anne Arundel mall, but there have been many residents in the area who have objected to the location. Anne Arundel County announced Thursday that they will be halting plan considerations for the casino until a countywide referendum is voted on in November.

Anti-casino groups have collected signatures to force a vote on the zoning of the casino. Cordish Co. has disputed the procedure in which the signatures were collected, and has filed a lawsuit against the Anne Arundel Board of Elections, claiming that the board ignored fraud in the petition process.

Back in 2008, voters approved five sites for new casinos. Anne Arundel was one of those sites, but there have been several setbacks in many of the cases. Maryland is attempting to expand at the quick rate that Pennsylvania casinos have expanded in the past year.

If the zoning issue is not resolved in Anne Arundel County, Cordish could lose their rights to the casino. The likely scenario would result in the license being put back up for bid. At that time Cordish would have the option to re-bid for the license they have already won.

The horse racing industry joined the local residents in the petition drive. The racing enthusiasts would like to see the casino built at the Laurel Park racetracks. The racing industry has been struggling over the past several years, and the traffic that would come with the casino could help revive the track.

April 1, 2010
Posted By Tom Jones
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
Submit News!

Delaware Casino Gambling Legislation Delayed Until After Easter
Alabama Electronic Bingo Gambling Bill Headed To The House
Casino Legislation Proposal Coming Today In Massachusetts
House Vote Opens Door To Multiple Gambling Ballot Questions
Gambling Hearing Draws Much Interest In New Hampshire On Tuesday