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Legislation would open Texas to casino gambling 
10:52 AM CST on Wednesday, February 25, 2009
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
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