Florida is bracing for major changes and all eyes are set on November’s Ballot. Major opposers of gambling in general such as Disney Worldwide Services were among the first to express their support of Amendment 3 which could provide the Floridians with the power to decide whether or not gambling expansion is needed. A total of $8.5 million was poured by Voters in Charge into the promotion campaign leading up to the beginning of November.
At this point, it is more than clear that Disney does not want gambling expansion anywhere near Florida and the piles of cash invested in promotional campaigns over the span of the past months prove this point. Voters in Charge is the political committee boosted by Disney which has been actively working towards informing the community about the potential of Amendment 3 as well as what they could do in order to make their position heard.
Amendment 3 Could Shape Field
The first week of this month witnessed yet another generous investment in the ad campaign which is in full swing. The faster the November’s Ballot approaches, the more ads would have the chance to influence residents of Florida and encourage them to cast their vote on 6th November. About $8.5 million was invested by Voters in Charge, increasing the amount invested to around $30.6 million.
There are two entities which are strongly supporting the approval of Amendment 3 for two fundamentally different reasons. Disney does not want to see the introduction of more gambling offerings to the region, as this could harm the family-friendly reputation of the state, as well as potentially bring problem gambling rates within the state to a whole new level. The company is willing to invest a total of $19.6 million into informing people that they could vote with a Yes on Amendment 3.
Can someone please explain/inform me on what the 3rd Amendment for Florida is? It seems to be making a lot of controversy and I dont know what it is. When I google it, i dont find any information, just slogans like "Choose me, not 3."
(1/2)— Chris (@ChazzS14) October 14, 2018
Through this, they would make it impossible for the State Legislature to open the field for more gambling offerings. Residents would become the only potential initiators of a casino expansion if they decide this is something the community really needs. On the other hand, the Seminole Tribe of Florida refuses to welcome more casino operator in the state, as it oversees the operation of Hard Rock Casino Resort in Tampa.
Up to this point the Native American tribe has poured in a total of $16.7 million in the ad campaign. The introduction of more players to the gaming field of Florida could directly hit its gross gaming revenue and negatively impact the future operation. Cannibalization of the field is a prospect eyed by all entities involved in it, which should be avoided at all costs.
Florida Braces for Potential Changes
Probe related to the general attitude towards the Amendment shows that as many as 54 percent of the Floridians claim their support of the ballot question. This means they would have voted with a Yes if they had to do it at the time of the poll conducted by the Florida Chamber of Commerce. Some 28 percent stay opposed and would have voted with a No, whereas a total of 18 percent state they have not yet made a final decision.
They would be the people to tip the scales in one direction or another when it is time for the official vote to take place. Many people will love that idea – that they have a control over gambling-related issues. What nobody talks about is the fact that if passed, Amendment 3 would not allow local communities to make decisions about casinos in their area.
https://twitter.com/BruceTWilliams/status/1035024233158651904
In order to allow or ban a casino, votes from all across Florida would be counted. Their vote might not be that relevant for the local residents directly affected by a proposed gambling venue, essentially defeating the purpose of this change. Upcoming weeks would see the outcome of the extensive ad campaign, as well as the general opinion expressed via the Ballot.
