February 7, 1996 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð SENATE S 1153 limited exemption will ensure that ners playoff excitement this fall, the self but is yet another step along the path to league officials can block franchise re- residents of Seattle and the citizens of coast-to-coast casinos that many states are locations they believe not to be in the Washington State were part of an reluctantly and uncertainly following. Not- withstanding the pressure from the Delaware best interests of their sport. The bill amazing roller-coaster ride that move, Maryland's Joint Executive Legisla- also provides for a 180-day notice pe- reached beyond anything that could tive Task Force to Study Commercial Gam- riod before any team can move. During ever be expected from professional bling, on which we served as chair and execu- that time, public hearings must be sports. The great sense of community tive director, recommended against casinos held, at which time a home community pride and support toward a single last November. would have the opportunity to induce team, however, must be rewarded with One of the task force's major conclusions the team to stay. Finally, the Fans' loyalty from the team back to the has been largely ignored by the mediaÐ namely, that the problem of legal casino Rights Act would prohibit the out- community. The Seattle Mariners dis- gambling is a national one; Maryland cannot rageous practice of teams buying the played this loyalty in their final game deal with this on its own. The problem cries league's approval of a proposed reloca- of the season, when all of the Mariner out for attention from the president and tion. Current practices allow the pay- players came out of the clubhouse 20 Congress. Unfortunately, the casino industry ing of relocation fees to the leagues minutes after game's end, to applaud has mobilized cash and lobbyists to prevent and individual teams prior to the vote the 58,000-plus fans who had encouraged federal action on the issue. The Maryland Task Force, in its full re- by the individual team owners to ap- the team during the championship run. port, unhappily noted that, lacking a signifi- prove the move. The bill would require Mr. President, the Seahawks will not cant federally funded study, it has a very that the relocation fee be paid only move and, I believe, Cleveland will not limited basis for making projections of what after the vote of approval has taken be deserted by the NFL either. would happen if Maryland opened its doors place. The era of professional sports Mr. President, every fan deserves the to casinos, which nowadays get 70 percent of teams moving, only to leave behind opportunity to applaud his or her local their revenues from slot machines. Given the fans, businesses, and communities who sports team, and for loyalty from the limited statistical and economic analysis available, its opposition to casinos reflected have invested emotional and financial owners in return. I hope that passing a sensible caution. support must come to an end, and this the Fans' Rights Act can begin to rec- Casinos do provide a credible promise of legislation attempts to do just that. ognize that fans are equal players in substantial financial gains to those states As chairman of the Consumer Sub- the world of sports.· that are the first in their region to introduce committee within the Commerce Com- f them. Foxwoods casino in Connecticut mittee, I intend to hold hearings on (owned by the Mashantucket Pequot tribe Fans' Rights Act sometime in early THE NEED FOR A NATIONAL under 1988 federal legislation that allows In- March. I will seek testimony from COMMISSION ON GAMBLING dian tribes to operate casinos on certain tribal lands) now yields that state $115 mil- commissioners of all four professional · Mr. SIMON. Mr. President, I would lion in tax revenues. Most of it comes from leagues, player representatives, team like to call to the attention of my col- residents of Massachusetts, Rhode Island and owners, and elected officials from leagues a recent column in the Wash- New York who come to play in the world's cities impacted by franchise reloca- ington Post. Cowritten by our former largest casino. It employs more than 10,000 tion. workers, offering good wages and benefits to colleague from Maryland, Joseph many who would otherwise have more me- When this bill comes to the floor, it Tydings, the column cogently describes is also my intention to offer an amend- nial and unreliable jobs. the importance of a national study on Not surprisingly, the state of Massachu- ment to include a provision similar to the social and economic impacts of setts feels it must also allow slots to com- that that kept the Mariners in Seattle gambling. pete and is now negotiating with the in 1992. Essentially, this provision The impacts of gambling are re- Wampanoag Indians to let the tribe operate would require a team to be put up for gional, national, and international in a casino. The state of New York, which cre- sale to local owners for 120 days prior ated a long legislative and referendum proc- scope. Local and State governments ess to prevent a rash decision on casinos, has to any relocation at a price to be set by simply do not have access to the infor- arbitration. Fan loyalty and local sup- also responded to Connecticut by starting mation they need to make wise deci- down a path that could lead to their intro- port must be rewarded with local own- sions. Although local and State task duction in 1998. ership, not the removal of the team. forces and commissions continue to But the economic gains that entice states Unfortunately for the Seahawk fans, produce reports, these entities are not to open their doors to casinos are only sub- even if we could enact the Fans' Rights stantial if neighboring states aren't compet- equipped to deal with the regional and Act into law tomorrow, this legislation ing for the same customers. If Maryland national ramifications of local and will not reverse the clock in Seattle. were the only state in its region to allow ca- State policies and tend to focus only on The decision to relocate the team has sinos, it might be able to justify building ca- the short term. As the authors suggest, been made, although a lawsuit is pend- sinos that relied heavily on spending by Vir- a national commission would help ginians, Pennsylvanians, Washingtonians ing against the organization is a King States a great deal. and West Virginians. However, just as the County Superior Court, an action I be- Although the column is focused on Foxwoods' success had caused Connecticut's lieve likely to succeed. I have been in- Maryland, States and municipalities neighbors to move toward casinos, so would vited by King County Executive Gary Maryland's advantage, if any, be short-lived. across the country are facing the same Locke to serve on a small task force of The case for casinos has an element of choices. Strapped for cash, many turn business and community leaders who vodoo economicsÐnamely, the claim that to casinos, riverboats, and lotteries. providing a new form of entertainment will will work together to ensure that pro- Gambling should not be the only increase the economic base of the commu- fessional football in Seattle does not choice. Identifying alternative sources nity or state by increasing local spending. become part of Seattle's fading history. of revenue will be prominent among Casino expenditures by Maryland citizens I would also like to take this oppor- would come entirely through reductions in tunity to commend King County Exec- the issues considered by a national other leisure spending or even in spending on utive Gary Locke, King County Pros- commission. food, shelter and education. Casinos can pro- ecutor Norm Maleng, and members of I urge my colleagues to read the col- vide economic development only by attract- the King County Council for all of their umn and to work with me and the bi- ing spending from other states. Moreover, if partisan group supporting S. 704, the casinos lead to greater consumer spending efforts thus far to save the Seahawks. nationally, then clearly it has to come from In closing Mr. President, I would like Gambling Impact Study Commission Act. reductions in people's savingsÐscarcely a de- to send a message to sports fans in sirable change for a country that chronically Washington State and around the I ask that the Washington Post col- undersaves. country. While we are in the midst of umn be printed in the RECORD. There are also important social costs to troubling times with sports teams com- The column follows: having casinos readily accessible. Many peo- ing and sports teams leaving, I would [From the Washington Post, Feb. 6, 1996] ple have difficulty controlling their gam- bling, particularly in the artificial environ- CASINO GAMBLING: BRING IN THE FEDS like to assure each of you that your ment of a casino where liquor is freely of- loyalty to professional sports fran- (By Joseph Tydings and Peter Reuter) fered and the game is available at all hours. chises will not go unrewarded. The recent opening of slot machines at two Big gambling losses and the obsessive pur- Throughout the 8 weeks of the Mari- Delaware race tracks is a small event in it- suit of gambling opportunities may lead to S 1154 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð SENATE February 7, 1996 family breakdown and loss of productivity Mr. President, these accusations all of this information is to have open and community involvement.