Land Use and Eminent Domain

¶ … land use and economic development. There is a hypothetical land parcel near freeway on- and off-ramps, several acres in size, owned by the Smith family, on which developers plan to build a casino. Citizen Opposition There will be significant opposition to building a casino by a small group of vocal and highly visible opponents. Many of the opponents will be affiliated with churches, and possibly environmentalist and social activist organizations as well. Some casino opponents will argue that the social costs outweigh any benefits from the proposed casino.

They will further argue that the casino will bring increased traffic, and possibly increased crime. The presence of a casino may also help create gambling addicts which is detrimental to families and the community. Opponents will also point to a rise in bankruptcies that often follow legalized gambling. Some citizens will argue that enough gambling outlets already exist given the state lottery. Others will point to the cannibalistic nature of the casino industry, with its likely impact of negative economic growth and damage to small businesses.

Comprehensive quantifiable data on the social impact of casinos is found in a report issued by Community Research Partners (CRP), The Social Impact of Casinos: Literature Review and Cost Estimates (2010). The study estimates that 1.2% of U.S. adults are pathological gamblers at some point in their lifetime, and another 1.5% are problem gamblers.

The study estimated that if a casino were built in the Columbus, Ohio area, the additional social costs to address the increase in pathological and problem gamblers would amount to $28 million annually in ongoing costs, and $223 million one-time costs for bankruptcies, arrests, imprisonment, and legal fees for divorce. The study concluded research is mixed on whether casinos have a net positive or net negative economic impact (CRP, 2010, pp. 1-5).

Casino Support Individuals who may rally in support of the initiative include the developer, any politicians they may have bribed, some local business owners, and people who want jobs no matter what the social cost. The proposed casino will provide tax revenue that will go to local governments and schools. It will also bring badly needed construction and entertainment jobs to the area, as well as promote economic development, enhance property values, and provide a tourist destination from which other local businesses will benefit.

Opposition through Political Participation Opponents of the proposed casino initiative have a number of ways to promote their cause through political participation. They can stage protests, both independent of and in conjunction with planned political and local and county government events. Opponents can organize petition drives to propose legislative changes restricting casinos, then get out the vote to support their political agenda. They can also propose and support anti-casino candidates who run for office. These efforts will probably fail.

In less challenging economic times, people might be more influenced by arguments based on the social impact of a casino initiative; in today's world, any project that promises jobs and tax revenues is likely to get people's support without much scrutiny of the accompanying issues. Pros and Cons of Eminent Domain The pros of eminent domain include the ability of a community to build as asset that will be available for its citizens as a whole, such as a.