Texas Scorecard by Jacob Asmussen December 10, 2020
With the state government facing a cash shortfall, a billionaire casino magnate is making a bold play for the Lone Star State.The billionaire owner of the largest casino operator in the world has his eyes set on the state Capitol in Austin, hoping to convince state lawmakers to legalize casino gambling in Texas.
Sheldon Adelson—multi-billionaire casino tycoon, GOP national mega-donor, and chairman and CEO of the Las Vegas Sands Corporation—has made striking moves recently in the political chess game of the Texas legislature.
This election cycle, he and his wife poured $4.5 million into Texas Republicans’ campaign to keep control of the state House, which made him one of the top donors of the season. Now, he’s hired 10 high-powered lobbyists to go to Austin and influence state lawmakers in the upcoming legislative session.
Adelson’s noteworthy lobbyist crew includes current and former high-ranking government officials, including former chiefs of staff to disgraced Speakers of the Texas House Joe Straus and Dennis Bonnen.
Adelson’s moves raise questions and rumors of what they are planning in the Lone Star State, as the legislature begins in just over a month. This week, however, one of Las Vegas Sands’ lobbyists made their plans clear—they view Texas as a potential jackpot for their business, and they’re upping the ante in their quest to bring casinos here.
“We view Texas as a worldwide destination and one of the top potential markets in the entire world,†said lobbyist Andy Abboud during a conference hosted by the Texas Taxpayers and Research Association. He spoke for over half an hour on their proposal to legalize casinos.
“Texas is considered the biggest plum still waiting to be out there in the history of hospitality and gaming,†Abboud said.
More:
https://texasscorecard.com/state/will-texas-lawmakers-legalize-casino-gambling-in-2021/
