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Mayor blasts council on casino opt out

Mayor Gabriel J. Campana said Monday that City Council’s apparent decision to opt out of a mini-casino in the city may resonate with other types of developers.

“I just had a call today from a mini-casino owner who says the city is anti-business,” Campana said Monday after the business owner read reports Saturday that council isn’t in favor of a casino.

Today, council’s finance committee will review a resolution to opt out of a possible casino being located in the city.

Campana declined to identify the casino operator who called him but was critical of council not listening to the proposal.

“It’s a pathetic decision,” Campana said, blasting council for apparently preparing to nix the idea of bringing revenue into the city to offset any future tax increases.

The proposed $26.6 million budget calls for no tax hike but draws down more than $2 million from a reserve account set aside for the city’s emergencies.

Starting Monday, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board began to publish a list of municipalities that pass resolutions banning mini-casinos that were established under a new gambling expansions law.

Listed as opting out in Lycoming County are the townships of: Cascade, Clinton, Jackson, Loyalsock, Moreland, Lycoming and Upper Fairfield, Washington and Woodward.

The casinos are part of a gambling expansion law signed by Gov. Tom Wolf on Oct. 30.

The law allows for up to 10 satellite casinos across the state and sets up restrictions on where they can locate. The mini-casinos would have between 300 and 750 slot machines and up to 40 table games.

A competitive bidding process is to start next month. The state’s existing casinos will get the first chance at operating mini-casinos.

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