Florida’s Seminole Tribe launched another statewide TV campaign on Monday urging the state to extend its gaming compact, which will expire on July 31st.
Titled “Partnership,” the second in a series of ads features Florida Chamber of Commerce CEO Mark Wilson and Restaurant and Lodging Association CEO Carol Dover saying that Seminole compact has been good for Florida and the economy, while controlling the expansion of gaming.
“Florida is changing, which is why we need to extend the compact and limit gambling. Changing it could lead to the expansion of gambling, which simply is unacceptable for a state that has worked hard to grow its economy and develop a family-friendly image,” Wilson said.
“Since the Seminole compact went into effect, it has generated more than $1 billion in state revenue for education, health care and veterans’ services,” said Dover. “We cannot afford to lose these vital dollars.”
The first ad was aired in Tallahassee last week, a day after Florida Representative Dana Young filed a bill proposing two additional casinos in South Florida and slot machines at dog tracks in Palm Beach and Lee counties, which leaves the Seminoles out of the picture. The 30-second ad said that the “historic compact” provides “controlled, profitable and safe” gambling in Florida.
The tribe’s public relations firm said on Monday that extending the compact will create more than 15,000 jobs and saves 3,000 current jobs. The state could lose more than $260 million a year if the compact isn’t renewed or renegotiated.
