A new casino could help create new jobs in Atlanta.

Although the gaming industry has found out its not recession proof, the industry as a whole still continues to bring in valuable amounts of money for local communities. The gaming industry, which includes state lotteries, brought in $93.8 billion during 2008. That kind of intake has officials wondering if a casino in Atlanta could be beneficial.

“It’s a very different situation and economic model than what you see in Las Vegas,” Joel Koblentz, senior partner of The Koblentz Group of Atlanta, said in an article by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “Gaming has to be fully ingrained into the tourism and urban redevelopment infrastructure. All of the public and private policy makers have to be on the same page. They can’t be at cross purposes.”

The lease-holders at Underground Atlanta, a downtown retail, restaurant and nightclub spot owned by the city, are looking to build a $450 million video lottery terminal casino. The overall plan would include a 29-story hotel, new restaurants and shops and 5,000 slot machines.

The proposal is currently awaiting approval from the Georgia Lottery Board. If developed, the facility could create 3,000 Atlanta jobs and bring in $600 million per year. Although not needed, the plan has been endorsed by the Atlanta City Council. according to the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Atlanta is not the only area looking to create or expand gambling potential. Other state’s looking into gambling options include:

• Indiana - having a fall referendum to allow casinos in city of Fort Wayne
• Kentucky - video lottery terminals
• Maryland - evaluating three state-sponsored slot machine projects after voters approved gaming in November
• New Hampshire, New York and Texas - gambling terminals at racetracks
• Ohio - casino companies are seeking a fall referendum on gaming in Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati and Toledo after a similar measure was defeated in November
• South Carolina - Video poker

This entry was posted on Wednesday, March 11th, 2009 at 11:56 am and is filed under jobs, Gaming. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.