Committee to hold public hearing on Del Marsh’s gaming proposal

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Del Marsh Robert Bentley

For those with strong opinions on the proposal to expand gaming and create a state lottery you will not have to wait long to weigh in. The Senate Tourism and Marketing Committee has scheduled a public hearing for 1 p.m. Tuesday to hear the bill, Senate Bill 453. The bills sponsor, Sen. Del Marsh chairs that committee.

This bill has received bipartisan support as an effort to bring increase revenue coming into the state without increasing taxes. Birmingham Mayor William Bell joined Marsh at a recent news conference in support of the bill highlighting economic impact.

The other gaming proposal on the table is to grant exclusive rights to the Poarch Band of Creek Indians. The Poarch have reportedly offered the state a one-time payment of $250 million to allow them to keep their monopoly rather than pursue the Marsh plan, which focuses on job creation and increased tax revenues.

According to an AP report, Marsh has said he “will ask the committee to vote the same day as the hearing”.