The gambling debate is heating up as the opening of the state legislative session approaches, with a developer who wants to build a $1 billion casino-resort saying he would not mind if local gamblers were excluded from his project.
The developer of a proposed
Hawaii casino says he wouldn't
mind if residents were excludedBy Richard Borreca
rborreca@starbulletin.comGov. Ben Cayetano, meanwhile, reiterated his support for a single casino in Hawaii but also repeated his belief that the issue of gambling should be decided by voters in a ballot question in the November election.
"This is one of those issues which is very, very big," Cayetano said yesterday. "There's no question that if gambling is approved in Hawaii, whether it be a single casino or multiple casinos, that it will have some impact, not only on our growth but perhaps our way of life."
Sun International Hotels president Butch Kerzner is proposing a $1 billion development for Oahu at Ko Olina. The company has developed massive resorts in the Bahamas and South Africa. The Bahamas development, Atlantis, has revitalized the entire tourism industry there, Kerzner said.
Bahamian residents are not allowed to gamble in the casinos and, in an interview yesterday, Kerzner said he would have no objection to keeping the Ko Olina casino for non-Hawaii residents only. "That sort of decision should be a local decision," he said. "Our model is to go after the resort market -- that is a big enough market and we believe we can make it a bigger market."
Cayetano said he thought it would be best to put the gambling issue before voters by asking for a constitutional amendment that either approved or forbade gambling in Hawaii.
"I've always favored a referendum, you know, but we don't have one except for the calling of the constitutional ... question," he said.
Asked if he would vote in favor of allowing gambling, Cayetano said: "Yes, I would."
The long-debated issue of legalizing gambling in Hawaii continues to divide people.
While Cayetano supports it, fellow Democrat U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye called gambling "one of the worst things we can do for the state of Hawaii."
"Saying that gaming would save us and bring about the funds we need for education and for economic development, I see that as a cop out," he said, adding that it ignores the crime and poverty that results from gambling.
Going into the 2002 legislative session that begins next Wednesday, some leaders are doubtful any gambling measure will be approved.
House Speaker Calvin Say (D, Palolo Valley-Kaimuki) pointed to the membership of the Judiciary Committee, which would have to approve any gambling measure, noting well over half of the 17 members are on the record as opposing legalized gambling. "I asked chair (Rep. Eric) Hamakawa to schedule any gambling bill he wants for a hearing, just to get it out of the way. If the votes are not there in passing it, it's pau."
Senate President Robert Bunda (D, Wahiawa-Haleiwa-North Shore) said his proposed resolution for a study of gambling's social and economic impact failed to win approval last year. "It didn't make it, so we'll just wait until the House comes over with their proposal, if any," said Bunda, who supports putting the issue before the voters.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
