Wheel of Fortune?

David Schechter reports

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DALLAS — State lawmakers are about to roll the dice on another plan to bring Las Vegas-style gambling to major Texas cities.

Proposed legislation would permit 12 new casinos in Texas, including one in Tarrant County and two in Dallas County — one of which could pop up in downtown Dallas.

A casino on the site of Reunion Arena has been a topic of discussion for years. It's a controversial idea, and there would certainly be many hurdles to clear.

But this new legislation would actually make it possible.

On Wednesday, the City Council is expected to approve a demolition contract for Reunion Arena. Is this the time to "double down" on the old stadium site?

It's prime downtown real estate, ready-made for large crowds with ample parking and freeway access — and it's available.

Political anaylist Cal Jillson says a casino could transform downtown Dallas. "It's a huge revenue source, and it brings a lot of attention and spending to downtown," he said.

State Sen. John Carona (R-District 16) is a sponsor of the gambling legislation, but said it is premature to speculate about any possible impact in the downtown area. "These types of developments will take considerable land, and on a site like that I suspect there would be insufficient land," he said. "Those will be decisions made at the time by a gaming commission."

Supporters of the statewide gambling bill filed Tuesday in Austin said gambling in Texas would provide $1 billion for road construction and another billion for college scholarships. The money could come in handy if the economy continues to tank.

But big-time gambling in Texas is likely to face stiff opposition. "The religious right will fight casino gambling tooth-and-nail," Jillson said.

Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert has said in the past that a casino is not part of his downtown vision.

Former Mayor Laura Miller did support the idea of downtown gambling.

E-mail dschechter@wfaa.com