Mississippi lawmakers mulled over several issues during a special session Tuesday, but one issue remains economically and morally highlighted: building casinos on land in Mississippi.
The proposal is to build casinos 1,500 feet inland to protect them from further damage by storms along the Coast.
Ironically, Gov. Haley Barbour supports this move. When he initially became the governor, he said that he was against casino expansion. However, it’s admirable Barbour realizes we are in an emergency, changing his stance to adapt to this situation.
Our state definitely needs the casinos rebuilt on land. We have suffered economically because of destroyed casinos, and we were already in a fiscal fix before the disaster. Of course, reason suggests that if we rebuild them, then they need to be in a less vulnerable place.
Gambling is like an involuntary tax. Some believe it’s wrong, and gambling does have its share of addicts. But most people who gamble probably don’t fall into the extreme position of betting everything they own.
It’s not like casinos promote addiction. They have to teach people about gambling and how to control it.
Naturally, many of the casinos may not come back if they can’t be built on land. Some casinos have made this clear.
Eliminating casinos or prohibiting casinos from being built on land will not stop gambling. The practice has existed for a long time, and it’s not going away. We should have casinos to profit our state. Not only do the casinos bring in the bucks, but they also attract plenty of tourists, something that Mississippi lacks compared to other places.
Plus, casinos are not only for gambling . They are cultural centers. People also visit them to hear musicians, laugh at comedians and eat.
Finally, our Legislature already said that casinos could be built on concrete pilings to make them more sturdy, but nobody had time to implement this idea before Hurricane Katrina.
Whether you believe gambling is wrong or not, you can’t deny the economic leverage that it gives a poor state. We can’t afford not to have them. We can’t afford to be picky during an emergency. We can’t afford to let the past drive us when something different must be done.
The Reflector editorial board is made up of opinion editor Jed Pressgrove, news editor Sara McAdory, assistant news editor Wade Patterson, sports editor Ross Dellenger, entertainment editor Tyler Stewart, managing editor Dustin Barnes and editor in chief Elizabeth Crisp.