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Rocky Gap Wants Slots Once Again

Posted on January 14th, 2011

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Rocky Gap is once again looking into slot machines. Years ago, the state park east of Cumberland has tried to bring in slot machines into its premises, but no bidder showed interest in erecting any slots parlor. Slots Commission Chairman, Donald C. Fry says that to attract any developer, the state must do more. Proposals include, that the developer be allowed to bring in video lottery terminals even without building a separate facility, that the $3 million initial licensing fee should be bypassed, also to apply the purchase of the park resort to the capital investment requirement of $25 million per 500 slots, then finally to drop the law that prohibits developers to have a second casino in the state. These measures may sound really desperate, but the state has also tried before to sweeten the deal with tax breaks to anybody who had enough funding and guts to buy the financially losing business. Adding slots to the state financed park would bring up to 67 percent tax revenues; $600 Million per annum could be easily earned by the state if all its five slots sites earn the projections shown by studies. But neighboring states such as Delaware and Pynnselvania have already beaten Maryland into gambling expansion reforms. The effect of these states’ expansion could prove to be a disaster for Maryland.

But even before the slot facility in Rocky Gap has even started, oppositions are already aplenty. Anti gambling protesters have commissioned a study that shows crime rates are likely to increase. The study done by Grinols and Mustard says that average numbers for aggravated assault is 259 for counties with casinos and only 188 for non casinos, burglary was 1,063 for casino supporting places, and 771 for those with none. But according to gambling proponents, gambling pros can easily outweigh the cons. The influx of tourist dollars along with slots and casino revenues will actually make lives better for everyone. As one lawmaker has said before, studies done before may not necessarily apply to the present. Late last year, two potential buyers have looked into the Rocky Gap but walked away saying, that the place does not have what it takes to be a successful facility. State slots officials have shown time and again that they are willing to bypass some regulations and be lenient with developers just to draw a competitive bidder and get the slots operating and generating much needed revenue for the cash strapped state.

“If the reward to the owner needs to be enhanced, we’re certainly for that; if it’s a problem with acquiring a site inside the hotel, we’re amenable to changing the law. We’re completely open.” said Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller. Kevin Flynn, President of Flynn Co., has said that if only their studies on Rocky Gap has shown that money could be made there, they’d take it. The $35 Million dollars in debt that the resort has acquired will be passed on to its potential owners making buyers wary. The park indeed drew a bidder, the Baltimore City Entertainment Group, but was later denied due to failure to submit large scale casino plan that officials have their minds set on. The bidder was also not able to pay the required fees. That developer sought legal actions which now caused Rocky Gap another cause for worry as they cannot accept any new developers seeking license for the area, pending the case.

Wwhen Rocky Gap first publicly sought for developers to save the park, Empire Rocky Gap LLC became interested and proposed to build as 750 video lottery terminal parlor. However, it failed to pay the $4.5 Million licensing fee, which in turn caused the company to forfeit its application. Members of the Board of Public Works has expressed quite a number of times its intent to sell the lodge to private investors, but so far, no takers have surfaced. Even with its 18 hole Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course and a 220 room lodge which provides excellent views to the man made Lake Habeeb, the facilities seem to fall short. But in the meantime, as buyers still elude Rocky Gap, the State of Maryland would just have to absorb its losses.