Reinforcements arrive for
isle casino fight

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By Pat Omandam
pomandam@starbulletin.com

Just when lawmakers thought the session's last hand was dealt on casino gambling in Hawaii, a pro-gambling coalition has upped the ante.

Holomua Hawaii, a coalition of local and mainland interests led by Detroit businesswoman and casino operator Marian Ilitch, said yesterday it has collected more than 25,000 signatures in three weeks from Oahu residents who support some sort of gambling here.

These signatures represent just the tip of the iceberg of the silent majority who support some sort of casino gambling here, said Carol Tsai, a Holomua Hawaii partner and retired local businesswoman.

"It's time for us to speak up and let our legislators know that the vocal opposition that has dominated the media in recent weeks does not represent everyone in Hawaii," Tsai said.

The grassroots organization favors the development of two casinos on Oahu -- one in Ko Olina and the other in Waikiki. They say those casinos would create more than 3,400 direct jobs and create a new $700 million industry.

Coalition members said Hawaii must remain competitive against other international tourist destinations and that casino gambling, which many of these places already offer, would give the state a much-needed edge.

Steve Kawagishi, another Holomua partner, said surveys have shown a solid majority of Hawaii residents not only have taken part in recreational gambling but understand and support the economic argument for allowing casinos.

Hawaii residents spend up to $500 million in Nevada each year and the ratio of Hawaii residents visiting Las Vegas to vice versa is 6-to-1, the coalition says.

"They've heard all the arguments against gaming, and feel that more tourists, better jobs and new tax revenues to fix our schools outweigh them," Kawagishi said.

Nevertheless, gambling appears to be dead this session after a state House committee unanimously killed two casino-related bills on Saturday, one of which was the two-casino proposal.

Anti-gambling forces have now turned their attention to the state Senate, where President Robert Bunda (D, Wahiawa) remains open to some sort of gambling measure. They are expected to announce today a growing alliance of local business leaders committed to a long-term fight against commercial gambling in Hawaii.

Still, Holomua members said they will continue to lobby legislators this session and said they will be back next year if they don't succeed this spring.

"I think people in Hawaii have been very successful in keeping gambling away by scaring people," Tsai said.

"They talk about the crime issue, the addiction issue, but based on studies, almost half a million people from Hawaii go to Las Vegas every year. And I'm one of those."

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