Pawlenty wants to open a casino in Bloomington

[KitchenWitch]

Near the Mall of America

http://www.startribune.com/stories/468/5193183.html

The Associated Press
January 20, 2005 MNCasinoMegamall

ST. PAUL - Gov. Tim Pawlenty met with the mayor of Bloomington last month to discuss opening a partially state-run casino at the Mall of America, the governor's spokesman said Tuesday.

Lawyers for the mall's owners also met recently with the Bloomington City Council to discuss the same possibility.

<snip>

Pawlenty's spokesman, Brian McClung, stressed that the governor has met with several local officials around the Twin Cities in recent weeks to discuss his casino proposal. It would be a partnership between the state and several northern Minnesota Indian tribes that don't currently own casinos.

<snip>

Bloomington Mayor Gene Winstead did not immediately return a call seeking comment. State Rep. Dan Larson, DFL-Bloomington, whose district includes the Mall of America, said city officials are worried that a casino would put a strain on resources while not benefiting the city financially.





I do not know how anyone else feels about this, but I do not want a casino in Bloomington.

[Dickie Flatt]

1. This is probably the worst idea ever

[KitchenWitch]

2. yes, turn what is primarily a family place

into an adult place. MOA already has Hooters, we do not need a casino.

[GAspnes]

3. Timmy *really* wants to lay his hands on some money

after what he's done to the state budget for the past six years.

[CatholicEdHead]

4. Funding

The GOP has been pushing this for a long time. Play off of people's weaknesses and go for the weakest and take the most unethical way to raise funds.

But I guess this is the "Christian" way to do it in their eyes.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

5. I visited a tribal casino in Oregon--once

The clientele were overwhelmingly elderly people who looked as if they couldn't afford to lose much money.

At least I was able to rationalize it this way: "The Native Americans lost their land and their cultural heritages to stupid, greedy white people. Now they're taking money from stupid, greedy white people."

But in this case, it's a sign of how Timmy will do ANYTHING to avoid raising taxes.