NEW ORLEANS — Louisiana lawmakers want to know where St. Tammany Parish residents stand on the notion of bringing a casino to the Northshore.
The Louisiana Senate Committee on Finance is scheduled to meet at 11 a.m. Monday to discuss Senate Bill 213 before it's presented to Gov. John Bel Edwards for signing.
The bill calls for a referendum among St. Tammany Parish voters for a stance of bringing a casino to the parish. Planned for the Oct. 9 election, the referendum could be pushed back.
A share no larger than 5 percent of the casino's net gaming revenue would go to the parish in addition to economic support for drainage and recreation projects.
If the bill is passed without changes, then the referendum and the Louisiana Gaming Control Board's approval would be enough for the relocation of an existing casino to St. Tammany.
The bill explicitly adds the Lakeshore Marina, south of the Twin Span as a potential location.
Louisiana State senator Sharon Hewitt - R authored the bill. She represents Louisiana's First District, which includes a large but mostly empty portion of New Orleans East and parts of St. Tammany, St. Bernard and Plaquemines Parish, east of the Mississippi River
The bill can still change before it's signed into law, but here's what the referendum question will look like, as of Sunday.
"Shall gaming operations and activated authorized by the Louisiana Riverboat Economic Development and Gaming Control Act be authorized in St. Tammany Parish at a site along those certain waterways in St. Tammany Parish along portions of Lake Pontchartrain that are part of the Lakeshore Marina located south and east of Interstate 10, Exit 261, and shall (Name of licensee approved by the Louisiana Gaming Control Board) or successors and assigns be authorized to relocate from its current locations to the location of St. Tammany Parish describes above, and to thereon develop a gaming, hotel, and resort operations all in accordance with Louisiana Gaming Control Law, the Louisiana Gaming Control Board, the Louisiana Election Code, and other relevant constitutional and statutory authority?"
