Columbus out of casino gambling bill — for now

The initial version of casino gambling legislation the Georgia General Assembly will consider would exclude Columbus from the discussion. But one influential lawmaker cautions that it is early in the process and no decisions have been made.

Two bills in the General Assembly would put the legalization of gaming to a statewide vote. Senate Bill 79 was introduced a week ago by Sen. Brandon Beach, an Alpharetta Republican. House Bill 158, with similar language, was introduced by Rep. Ron Stephens, R-Savannah, and the first co-signer was Rep. Calvin Smyre, D-Columbus.

Last year, a variety of bills never made it to a vote. This time, the legislation is specific. Called the Destination Resort Act, there would be two casino licenses issued in Georgia.

The first would be to a county with a population of more than 900,000 people — only Atlanta and Fulton County would qualify. That license would require an investment of at least $2 billion.

The second license would go to a county with a population in excess of 250,000 people, but not more than 900,000 people. That would favor Savannah and Chatham County with a population of 278,000.

Muscogee County and Richmond County have about 200,000 people each and Bibb County is about 150,000 people.

Smyre said he will push to open up the legislation to include up to four sites, which would put Columbus back in the game.

“I don’t want to limit the opportunities for our state, especially when limiting those opportunities would exclude Columbus,” Smyre said.

Columbus Council weighed in on the matter in November when it approved a resolution in support of legislation that would put casino gambling up for a statewide vote in Georgia. That resolution was requested by Columbus entrepreneur Robert Wright Jr., who told the Ledger-Enquirer that he wanted to bring a $200 million resort casino to south Columbus if the state of Georgia legalizes gambling.

“I am working to talk about increasing the number to three or four or so,” Smyre said on Friday. “That way cities like Columbus, Macon and Augusta can be in the discussion.”

Wright was limited in what he would say about the initial legislation when reached on Friday.

“Obviously, I want to see Columbus in the discussion and have the opportunity to do a casino here,” Wright said. “I think there should be more than the two locations that are in the bill.”

The initial legislation in the General Assembly calls for at least a $400 million investment in the casino outside Atlanta.

“I don’t understand the rationale for the $400 million,” Wright said. “From everything I see, $200 million to $250 million is more than adequate for a city the size of Columbus.”

Sen. Ed Harbison, D-Columbus, is one of the co-sponsors of the Senate bill. He said it needs to be “fine-tuned” as it moves through the process.

“Let me be very clear, my support of the bill and the concept of destination resorts is contingent that Columbus is in the mix,” Harbison said.

Smyre will likely be a key player as the casino gambling legislation makes its way through the General Assembly, said two Columbus Republicans. Sen. Josh McKoon and Rep. Richard Smith have reservations about the gaming legislation, but they agree that it will take substantial Democratic support to successfully get legislation passed.

“Calvin will be a big part of getting this passed,” Smith said. “If you start talking about Democrats and you need help, Calvin is where you go.”

Two years ago, Smyre played a critical role in Democratic support of a statewide transportation bill that increased tax and fees to generate more than $1 billion in funding.

“If you look at the raw politics of this, it will not pass without Democratic support, just as the transportation bill did,” McKoon said. “There are not enough Republicans to support it.”

Which is where Smyre enters the picture, McKoon said.

“And to get the Democratic support, they are going to need Calvin Smyre to make that happen,” McKoon said of the senior member of the General Assembly in his 43^rd session. “I don’t see how it passes without Calvin being heavily involved.”

Smyre downplays his role.

“I am looking forward to working with House members on HB 158,” he said. “While I am a co-sponsor, I am only one legislator trying to assist in this process.”

McKoon and Smith both question legislation that has population triggers.

“I have been told the entire time I have been up here that you can’t do a bill around population,” Smith said. “If you look at this, the 900,000 is clearly aimed at Atlanta, and Savannah is the only one that meets the 250,000 threshold. Columbus has clearly been written out of it, Macon has been written out, and Augusta has been written out.”

McKoon said he will ask the Senate legislative counsel if the population restrictions are legal.

“I have always understood that population bills are unconstitutional,” McKoon said. “But if it is valid, it would exclude Columbus. But I am skeptical of casino gaming measures, period.”

Carolyn Hugley, D-Columbus, shares some of the same concerns about the population triggers as the two Republicans.

“We can’t have population bills,” she said. “I am really interested to see how they plan to make that work. The way I look at it is that the whole thing is a work in progress right now.”

For Smyre, the discussion should center around Metropolitan Statistical Areas, which would include the surrounding counties to the state’s larger cities.

“Take Columbus — our MSA is much larger and we are a border city,” Smyre said. “The ability to draw from the population in Alabama should be considered.”

Smyre said that the bill will also have to secure additional funding for the state HOPE scholarship.

“HOPE has to be a fundamental part of this discussion,” Smyre said. “There has to be need-based HOPE funding and gap funding for those in the University System and the state’s technical colleges. If it doesn’t have that, it is a no-go for me.”

The bill will likely change before it reaches a vote in the House or Senate, Smith said.

“This thing has a long ways to go before it gets through,” Smith said. “I would not be surprised at all if it is not changed along the way.”

Thursday was the 12^th day of the 40-day session, which is scheduled to end March 30. Legislation has to pass either the House or the Senate and be sent to the other body by the 28^th day on March 3 for it to have a chance to pass this session.

This story was originally published February 4, 2017 at 2:35 PM with the headline "Columbus out of casino gambling bill — for now."