Hawaii needs economic defibrillation, and I can't help but think back to a heart-pounding conversation I had a few years ago in Tokyo. Placing a bet
on gamblingA respected businessman was telling me that he felt Hawaii is the best resort in the world, but missing one thing that would make it "perfect" for travelers like himself.
Upgraded facilities, I ask? Better service? Crime prevention?
"No, Hawaii's fine in those areas," he said. "Gambling."
Say again?
"Gambling. It's the one thing that would give Hawaii everything it needs to attract and re-attract visitors."
He explained that while his family could play on the beach and shop, he could hit the gaming tables for stress relief and fun. And he said countless other Asian vacationers would do the same, spending much more money here.
Make sense? I think it does, since Macau is an armpit, Australia's image to Asian visitors is negative, and Las Vegas is more than double the distance.
An exciting but less than simple thought.
With recent headlines like "Gamblers lost $51 billion," Hawaii has consistently rejected the gambling fix. But I contend that lawmakers haven't done enough to give residents a thoughtful proposal to consider.
Personally, I don't feel strongly either way on legalizing blackjack, a lottery or even bingo. But I want a rational and comprehensive study done to see if gambling could provide one answer to our state's money troubles.
First, this is not about taking business away from the California Hotel, or giving local folks a too-close opportunity to lose their rent checks.
"We like to go holo-holo," is how one grandmother and her friends put it, saying they would still head to Vegas even if the Sheraton-Waikiki offered Blazing 7s and Megabucks machines.
No, let's start with the premise that any casino gambling would be restricted to out-of-state visitors as is done in parts of Asia.
The primary goal would be the revenue earned to go toward the public's benefit.
Take Colorado, for example, another state that prides itself on the protection of its environment and quality of life. A statewide lottery grossed $387 million last year, and that's not counting racing and limited casino games.
"And we expect out of that, close to $100 million in net proceeds will be distributed through a formula for parks, acquisition of open space and public buildings," said Kevin Burke, an executive with the Colorado Lottery.
Besides the social harm, critics fear an increased organized crime factor. But a former high-ranking Hawaii law enforcement officer tells me that gambling "can be controlled" if introduced with appropriate input.
Here's what needs to be done:
Hawaii residents deserve more than a piecemeal gambling proposal from legislators to make an educated decision. And that could help make the vacations of those like my Tokyo friend more "perfect" for everyone.The governor appoints a blue-ribbon panel of leaders from government, law enforcement, tourism, education, environment groups, social services and the gaming industry to report on gambling's potential effect.
Dalton Tanonaka is a veteran print and broadcast
journalist who's worked in Hong Kong, Japan, the
mainland and Hawaii. He can be reached by
e-mail at tanonaka@aol.com