Thursday, May 03, 2007
July 21 vote on Pinnacle takes step
ADVOCATEby SCOTT DYER (excerpt)
A Metro Council panel on Wednesday advanced a proposed repeal of the blue laws banning the sale of wine and liquor at East Baton Rouge stores on Sundays, along with a proposed July 21 referendum on the south Baton Rouge riverboat casino proposed by Pinnacle Entertainment.
(Spokesman Billy) Rimes said he expects to reveal details of Pinnacle’s proposal to the council later this month, after the proposal is approved by the state Gaming Control Board.
LPNS COMMENTARY: The Pinnacle proposal envisions the most luxurious resort hotel Baton Rouge has ever seen, featuring fine dining and world-class live entertainment. It looks to be a spectacular new project and Pinnacle Entertainment is the fastest growing company in its industry.
Recent polling shows parish voters in favor of the proposal.
Councilman Pat Culbertson, a Republican, is trying to get the council to postpone the election until the fall. Apparently Culbertson is unaware that the last time a multi-million dollar riverboat election was held on a statewide date Mary Landrieu was very narrowly elected to her first term in the U.S. Senate. This upset victory was clearly due to the increased election day turnout of traditional Democratic voters by the boats.
He may want to reconsider his request.
The main oppostion is to the Pinnacle Resort is of course coming from the existing casinos in BR.
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Labels: GAMBLING, LOUISIANA, POLITICS
