Miami Beach Mayor concerned about alleged efforts to legalize new casinos

Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber said Wednesday that Florida's Republican leaders are quietly considering an effort to allow casino owners to transfer gambling licenses to venues in locales that have banned gaming and preempt local restrictions. 

The Mayor raised his concerns during the city’s commission meeting, saying that private conversations in the state's capital Tallahassee could lead to legislation that would allow for a casino at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach hotel. Jeffrey Soffer, who owns the Fontainebleau and the Big Easy Casino in Broward County, has pushed for years to allow for gambling at his Beach resort.

Gelber also alluded to efforts by Genting Group, which owns the former Miami Herald bayfront property near downtown Miami, to build a casino resort. Also Wednesday, The Washington Post reported that the Trump Organization is lobbying for legislation in Tallahassee that would allow for a casino at the Trump National Doral Miami.

“This is a very frightening moment,” Gelber said. He told the Miami Herald that the measure "is going to first help give it to the Fontainebleau, and then one of those other two locations.”

Gelber raised the issue Wednesday ahead of a unanimous vote to authorize the acting city attorney to hire outside counsel to, “if necessary, initiate a legal challenge to any action by the Florida Legislature to permit casino gambling in the City of Miami Beach or in Miami-Dade County.” The mayor also asked the acting city attorney to prepare to challenge any such legislation, though it doesn’t appear a bill has been filed yet.

“Gambling does not belong on Miami Beach,” Commissioner Ricky Arriola said. “We’ll fight tooth and nail.”

Florida law doesn’t currently allow the transfer of gambling licenses. In 2014, the state denied Hallandale Beach casino Gulfstream Park’s effort to transfer a parimutuel permit to the Omni hotel complex owned by Genting. Miami Beach’s politicians have repeatedly made clear that they do not want casinos on their barrier island, or anywhere near it. One of their biggest points of concern has been the Fontainebleau, where Soffer has sought for years to establish gaming rights.

Billionaire Norman Braman and developer Armando Codina called into the video meeting Wednesday afternoon warning the commission of the negative effects a casino expansion would have on the surrounding community. They vowed to fight the effort.

While it appears no bills have been formally filed, Gelber said GOP leaders appear to have support to expand gaming, which he said would “unalterably” change Miami Beach. “We believe it has the support potentially of the governor and of the legislative leadership,” Gelber said.