Poll: Should Georgia (and ITP Atlanta) welcome billion-dollar casinos, gambling?

What God-fearing Georgian doesn’t want to shoot dice and play cards to earn some extra scratch? Right?

Legally, of course.

Well, as it turns out, quite a few state leaders detest the idea of legalizing casino gambling in the Peach State. Nevertheless, the matter has made its way to Georgia’s statehouse in just about every legislative session in recent memory.

Next year will be no different, although the, uh, stakes could be higher than they’ve been in the past.

Republican state Rep. Ron Stephens, whom Bisnow called “the political father of Georgia’s generous tax credits for TV and movie production,” plans to pitch legislation during the next General Assembly that could end up licensing three multi-billion-dollar casino resorts for in-state operations.

Under Stephens’s proposal, each company hankering for one of the few permits in Georgia would have to commit to creating at least 10,000 jobs, as well as invest a bare minimum of $1.2 billion on the endeavor, Bisnow reported.

Add that up, and Georgia could be cashing in 30,000 new jobs and upwards of $3.6 billion in new development, should his legislation earn approval, Stephens maintains.

Stephens has yet to identify specific sites for potential casino development, although one of the three would almost certainly land in metro Atlanta (probably ITP), according to Bisnow, which broke news of the statesman’s ambitions.

via ABC

The other two resorts, Stephens told the publication, would likely rise in or near Savannah and along the Georgia-Florida border.

Revenue from casino operations, Stephens and supporters argue, could be used to improve Georgia’s lottery-funded HOPE scholarship program.

Of course, in years past, Gov. Nathan Deal has been a thorn in the side of casino gambling advocates, adamantly opposing the measures. Plus, Secretary of State Brian Kemp, the Republican party’s gubernatorial nominee this election year, has also denounced legislation that would regulate betting.

During the 2019-2020 legislative session, however, Stephens aims to pass a resolution that would send the casino gambling debate to Georgia voters via referendum.

University of Georgia political scientist Charles Bullock told Bisnow that, next year, pro-casino residents could be in luck, since resistance to the cause has been dampening in recent years.

Which brings us to voting of a different sort.

In the below poll, we ask how comfortable and/or eager ye Georgians (and anyone else reading this post) would be with the idea of massive destination resorts planting roots in metro Atlanta.

• New Georgia Push For Legalized Gambling Includes 3 Billion-Dollar Casino Resorts [Bisnow]