Eric Trump’s pushing Florida Republicans to change state law so Doral resort can become a casino – By Jon Skolnik (Daily Beast) / Mar 17 2021
Florida currently limits gambling mostly to tribal casinos
Eric Trump, the former President’s son who runs the family business, is pushing to transform the Trump Organization’s Miami Doral Resort into a gambling destination by actively lobbying Republicans in the state legislature to change a longstanding law.
Trump’s come as part of a Republican-backed effort to legalize casinos in parts of the state that have long prohibited them. According to The Washington Post, the Florida state legislature has not yet formally submitted a bill for review, but whispers of a proposal have circulated around the state’s leadership. The proposal, reportedly being led by Florida Senate President Wilton Simpson, a Republican, is expected to allow real estate developers to dole out gambling permits without the approval of municipal governments.
“My understanding is they are trying to take the gambling permits that are in South Florida and make them portable and preempt local governments from stopping them,” said Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelbe, a Democrat and an ardent opponent of new casinos in the state. Gambling in the Sunshine State has long been relegated to just a few settings, such as tribal casinos and racetracks.
The bill would prove quite favorable for Trump’s business endeavors. Eric Trump told the Post that the Doral Resort would be a “natural choice” for a casino. “Many people consider Trump Doral to be unmatched from a gaming perspective,” Eric Trump told the Post, “At 700 acres, properties just don’t exist of that size and quality in South Florida, let alone in the heart of Miami.”
