Ever since we flirted with a bingo hall on Perdido Key last year the discussions pro and con have been interesting. Many thought the business it could bring to the Key was significant and worth pursuing while others thought it was the wrong kind of business and could bring a seedier clientele than our family friendly area would find worth the possible economic upside.
A moratorium county wide was imposed while the dust settled after the developers' plans were shown to be somewhat different than the public pronouncements made to the locals. It was to be a paper bingo hall, legal by law as an exempted enterprise, but the machines and other games, currently illegal, were to come later according to their business plan. They were betting (pun intended) that the laws could be, might be changed or circumvented as they have in other areas of the country when the concept of a gaming establishment was in place making money for the developers, the Key and the county. This was apparently a foot in the door process with lots of caveats that might or might not lead to the convention space and hotel that appeared in their artists renderings. I am not judging them or their motives just stating facts. The locals remain divided on what Perdido Key might realize from the proposals. In the mean time the county began looking at ordinances to regulate bingo and "adult arcades" during the moratorium period.
The first step was to define these various aspects of gaming. That is a lot easier said than done as coveys of lawyers working for gaming interests all over the country are experts at loop holes and nuances of the legal language centered on these gaming/gambling/skill games/sweepstakes/bingo enterprises. The folks who develop these types of entities lean heavily on the specialized crafting of the law and the ways they can fit their businesses within it. Again no judgement intended but factually how these businesses manage. Agree or disagree with gambling it is like alcohol or tobacco use, people are bound and determined so you have to depend on the laws or the vendors to avoid "wild west" operators of adult arcades that come in all forms and levels.
Now we are looking at the results of the county government staffs and the same groups, pro and con, are concerned. Are Escambia county authorities trashing the ability of citizens to use their property on Perdido Key as they wish and as it appears to be zoned for OR are they allowing future uses that exploit obvious need for business and attractions at the expense of what is held near and dear to others. Couple all this with a deep seeded distrust in our area of the county officials to have Perdido's best interests in mind. History would seem to back those who are wary of the county approach to Perdido. With this ordinance debate spilling across the entire county there are concerns that the Key will not be first in mind and the gaming laws might not equitably fit into the Perdido zoning.
My connection to the community puts me in a position to hear all sides of the arguments and to be fair there are probably 3 or 4 variations based on moral grounds, actuarial grounds, legal grounds and aesthetic grounds. One thing is very clear and that is the sincere desire of all of the local Perdido factions to do what is best for Perdido Key. The new Chamber Board (for full disclosure I am a member) can be given credit for a new fresh spirit of cooperation, accomodation, respect and civility amongst and between interest groups.
I am anxious to hear thoughts of many other concerned citizens and of those of my friends, customers and even people I never met who have an opinion on this interesting discussion. Please use the ability of comment to this blog to voice your thoughts.
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