For those mavericks out there hoping to enjoy some gambling in metro Atlanta following the DeKalb County Commission's approval of a 24-hour gaming resort near Lithonia, you'll be waiting a while longer. Following the advice of their lawyer, the commission has unanimously voted to pretend like the first vote never happened, reports the AJC. The move comes after the likes of Gov. Nathan Deal and other anti-gambling party poopers expressed serious displeasure at the proposal, called Panola Slopes, and its 425 gaming machines. So what's this approved plan all about?
When the DeKalb County Commission didn't overstep their authority when they didn't approve the measure in December, the AJC likened it to a "Dave and Busters for adults," with prizes including steak and on-site lodging. Those are pretty lame prizes compared to useful things like cold, hard cash, but Georgia law prohibits casinos as we know them and is fairly restrictive on all gambling activities. That didn't stop APD Solutions from bringing the proposal to DeKalb County in hopes of a governmental thumbs up.
It's not the first time a non-casino casino has been floated in the metro. Back in 2012, Dan O'Leary — the man behind a failed proposal for a casino at Underground Atlanta in 2009 — had attempted to gain support for a "Gambling Facility" with a lavish $1 billion price tag out in Norcross. Those plans were abandoned, and three years later, that site is being targeted by Hollywood (in partnership with Jacoby Development, of Atlantic Station fame) for the mother of all Y'allywood movie studio complexes. In the case of Panola Slope, it's unlikely the scheme would have moved forward, given the precedent of governmental disdain for the previous proposals.
So, in short, no dice. Not yet.
· Vote on gaming complex invalidated [AJC]
· Unprecedented gaming resort planned [AJC; subscriber]
· Norcross Could Land A Mega Video Gambling Facility - Just Don't Call It A Casino [Curbed Atlanta]
Loading comments...