West Virginia House passes table games bill... next step?

[ThunderEagle]

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Good info Eagle. I didn't get into the details but I knew the tax was high. Hopefully there is stil enough profit after taxes to get the games. I'm not too encouraged that Poker will be one of them though. Did you find anything addressing poker?

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Nothing specific. Either last year or the year before there was an article talking with the Manager of Wheeling Island about their plans if table gaming was allowed. At that time they had a plan for like a 30 table poker room. This was when Poker was still pretty hot.

I don't think you will get any good information right now about plans, because the Casino's are going to posture on the whole tax rate thing to make it seem like they will loose money if this 35% tax rate goes in. I couldn't find the original article talking about it, but that first 24% rate the bill started with was actually closer to 21% once it was distributed. I'm guessing the rate will get reducted to around 30% (wild ass guess) for a "real" rate in the 24%-27% range. I would guess the licensing fees were jacked up that high to create a natural negotiating point. I know there is a provision to double the fee if they don't have a hotel of a certain size on the property. I'm guessing that will shift to lowering the fees to properties that have the hotel.

[hollaballa]

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Well if they really make 0, then 0 x Tax Rate = 0.
Look at the tax savings they get on poker! [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]


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I'm not 100% sure of all the details, but I think you guys aren't understand the tax thing correctly.

Yes, if they do nothing, then taxes on 0 = 0.

But how this usually works is the tax is tax off the top....meaning on the gross revenue. It's not on the "profits" as you guys would think of them.

The tax comes off the top, then all the other costs incurred by the casino are covered.

This is how too high of a tax could prohibit the casino from offering table games. the tax is so high they can't cover their costs.

[ThunderEagle]

Here is a pretty good article:

http://www.dailymail.com/story/News/...ke+in+Wheeling

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Marshall plans to install more than 30 poker tables and nearly 25 blackjack tables. Roulette and craps also will be offered.


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Robert Marshall is the president of the Wheeling Island center.

I'll admit, most of my research is around the Wheeling Island casino, as I grew up in St.Clairsville, OH (about 12 miles from Wheeling) and my parents still live there. While that is around a 3 hour drive for me from the Cleveland area, I have built in babysitting and a place to crash and shower. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] Grandma may be getting to see a whole LOT more of the grandkids!

I think the general state of Ohio county is this is a slam dunk for this to pass if they get it on the ballot. Mountaineer farther up the Northern Pan handle is similar. I think the other two counties it might be a little more in doubt.

[frommagio]

I was at Wheeling Sat night to bet on the puppies, and I discussed this with several employees. Everybody seems to agree that poker is a lock if table games are permitted. Everybody seems very excited about the possibility of table games arriving to reinvigorate the place and save jobs - and folks seem to be cautiously optimistic. Best quote from an employee: "We're people, too; we need this." One guy told me that they're already working on the construction for the new rooms - that we could walk over and check it out if we wished. I didn't take him up on it, since I was there to do my handicapping and place my bets - with any leftover time dedicated to the buffet. But it was all very encouraging.

There's no doubt in my mind that WV will act now. This debate has been simmering for years, and now it's bubbling over. The WV folks are getting the point, and this thing looks to be fast-tracked - witness what happened in committee. WV is moving on this, and the casinos are hungry to grow.

Meanwhile, it will take PA the better part of a decade to figure out what happened, and it will take the rest of a decade (at minimum) for them to respond. From the point of view of a PA state representative or senator, all is well if your brother-in-law has a piece of whatever action there is. The slots/casino debate in this great state consists of stuff like: should it be OK for politicians to set up the minor children of lobbyists with trust funds that own a small percent of each licensed casino. I kid you not, this is an actual issue here, because it actually happened this past year, during the murky process of awarding slots licenses. It's the kind of crap we have to deal with year in and year out, decade upon decade.

PA can't even figure out how to clear snow from interstates when shockingly unforeseen events (like winter) occur. If there's a sadder state in the union - another that has done so little with so much natural bounty and resources - I'd love to know about it.


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Last week the table games bill was passed by the state house to allow table games in the four counties with current slot based casinos. The vote passed 59/41, but now goes to the tougher state senate.

My question is this: if this bill does pass the senate, how quickly will we see table games up and running throughout the state? Is this a quick few month turnover, or a few year process?

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[buckslayer80]

Any new info?? I'm in Northern VA, so I can't wait.

[NickMPK]

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Any new info?? I'm in Northern VA, so I can't wait.

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It appears the bill passed the Senate Judiciary Committee and is now in the Senate Finance Committee. The WV legislature adjourns on March 10, so it has to be decided one way or the other by then.

[Jeffage]

I really would love to see this happen.

Jeff