Looks like the possibility that several gambling casinos could be developed on the island has gone bust.
A Virgin Islands Senate committee considered expanding gaming options in the Territory and decided to put everything on ice.
At immediate issue was the prospect of building another casino on St. Croix, where the island's largest employer, Hovensa, has just announced it's ending operations. The Senators decided to put that plan on hold after Tourism and Econiomic Dvelopment commissioners voiced opposiion, the St. John Source (read the story here) reported.
Consideration of the other bill, that would have okayed seven casinos for St. Thomas and two on St. John, also was postponed. Its backer, Sen.Carlton Dowe, said casinos would be a better vehicle for pulling money out of tourists' pockets than video lottery terminals, already allowed. The video games reportedly draw play from locals.
Yeah, has the Senator every been on a cruise ship? They all have casinos, tourists are not going to come ashore to gamble.
It’s scary that they would even consider putting casinos on STJ. That sad, creepy looking mini-casino in the marketplace at Cruz Bay is bad enough. I dont think the type of clientele that visits STJ wants a casino.
WHAT STJ NEEDS IS A DONKEY RACE TRACK (COULD ALSO RACE SHEEP, GOATS, IGUANAS AND ISLAND GIRLS! NAME THE TRACK “CORAL DOWNS” AND HAVE AN ANNUAL EAST END DERBY ON CHRISTMAS VACATION. I’D COME TO DRINK BEER AND CHEER! A LOT MORE FUN THAN SLOTS. GOOD PLACE WOULD BE THE OLD PLANTATION UP THE ROAD ABOVE LOVE CITY MARKET! BUT NOT TOO FAR, WE WOULDN’T THE DONKS TO BE WINDED BEFORE THE RACES.