A presentation by the Las Vegas Sands Corporation outlined the company’s estimates of the economic impact if a casino resort were built in Las Vegas.
IRVING, Texas — Lobbyists for casino giant Sands Corporation gave a presentation to local officials last week arguing for legalizing gambling in North Texas.
The presentation included details of the company’s casino property in Singapore, estimates of the economic impact of gambling in Texas and potential locations for proposed resorts.
“It’s not something they’re taking lightly, especially with the level of detail and effort that Sands is putting into it,” said Patrick Brofey, chief operating officer of the North Texas Commission, which lobbies on behalf of private and public interests in North Texas and helped organize the presentation event.
“It’s smart for a company like Sands to start laying the groundwork,” he said.
The presentation argues that a casino operation would bring 14,000 jobs to North Texas and generate nearly $6 million in sales tax revenue — money that local governments want to be prepared to bring to their own communities.
“If we’re going to have to deal with it anyway, why not try to manage it through the city of Dallas and get the tax revenue and benefits that come with it,” said Dallas City Councilman Chad West, who represents Oak Cliff and attended the meeting. “If it does happen, we have to be prepared for it.”
He said he doesn’t have any prospects for this yet, but wants to plan ahead.
“There’s a lot at stake here,” said Farmers Branch Mayor Terry Lin, who attended the Sands presentation. “This is a very big business.”
Lin also did not take a stance, but expressed the view that the arrival of legal gambling is inevitable.
“I really think casino gambling is heading to Texas,” he said.
But everyone agrees that it will be years before the first cards are dealt and the first bets are won.
“No matter what you do, it’s going to be a long road ahead,” Brophy said.
Brophy estimates it will be at least 10 years before a destination casino like Sands’ proposal opens.
“Some people will look at this and say it’s a pipe dream, but others will say you’ve got to start somewhere,” he said.
The exact location is a key issue: A Sands subsidiary bought about 100 acres in Irving, near Loop 12 and Highway 114, last July, but a map included in the company’s presentation showed other counties, including Rockwall and Somervell, as possible sites for the resort.
“I think it’s still very preliminary,” West said. “I think there’s something to be said about buying land in Irving.”
Either way, Brophy said people who attended the presentation seemed open to the idea of building a legal gambling resort in their area.
“Let’s put it this way,” he said, “everyone thinks there’s a perfect location for a casino.”
