MGM’s pitch for a $1B casino in Downtown Atlanta (Buckhead: condo, hotels)

[BELMO45]

Originally Posted by City Guy997S

Casinos are generally a bad idea. The premise is they are in business to take people's money, the "odds guarantee a win for the house!" People use the excuse it is "entertainment" but in reality it is a multi-billion dollar business designed from the doormat to the exit sign to separate suckers from their money!

I have spent money in casinos, even left the last trip to Vegas with about $3200 of"their money" but as a whole it isn't good long term for a community as it takes money out of the community. Atlantic City was on CNBC this week talking about how 50% of their casinos have gone out of business, the Borgata is the new top dog and is essentially cannibalizing the older casinos business.

I think that's basically an accepted premise. Most who go to a casino know they are not going to win big but will most likely lose, it's only a small delusional degenerate group who thinks they are going to get rich. But most money comes from the casual goer who is there on weekends to have fun or the out of town visitors. The only game that is beatable in casinos in poker, and that's why most casinos treat poker players like dirt, no comps or free stuff and the poker room is usually in an undesirable area or gets moved over the course of a 10-20 year period when they can put more profitable games in that spot.

[afdinatl]

People talk about casinos are a bad idea yet C-D is a bad idea because you are suppose to be working but you are playing on the Internet

[StoicTao]

Putting a Casino in Downtown Atlanta would kill the area. The impact of casinos on neighboring property values is unambiguously negative... I hope Atlanta does not fall into this trap.

Downtown Atlanta needs thousands of new residents, new small restaurants/bars, local cuisine, walk-ability, winning sports teams, art galleries, music clubs, tea/coffee shops, book stores. The things that give a city character and livability. Not a $1B casino that will damage the soul of the city.

[jsvh]

Relevant article: A Good Way to Wreck a Local Economy: Build Casinos - The Atlantic

[bu2]

Originally Posted by zedsmith

Busses of seniors hopped up on Parkinson's drugs hocking their dentures once they've blown through their social security cheques, more pimps, more sex trafficking, more drugs, less lotto revenue because more locals are going to play table games instead.

I'll pass. id rather have an open sewer downtown. I'm not alone. Any local pol with their fingerprints on this is going to get punished.

I don't know that they will get punished, but other than that I am with you. Gambling is an addiction that afflicts a lot of people, especially poor people. I don't think we should make it easier. Let them take a bus to Alabama or North Carolina.

[bu2]

Originally Posted by JMatl

Wow! I guess we have totally different views of Downtown. I personally think that things north of Five Points look better than they have in many years.

Just curious, but have you been Downtown lately?

That's not necessarily saying much.

[bu2]

Originally Posted by Mutiny77

If it would be like Harrah's in downtown NOLA, it would be a great idea I think.

Harrah's has struggled at times. Its not anywhere near the success they thought it would be.

[-thomass]

Originally Posted by bu2

Harrah's has struggled at times. Its not anywhere near the success they thought it would be.

The casino in New Orleans was great when I visited recently. i don't get why anyone would oppose this, especially since it will raise money for the hope scholarship, but this is the Bible Belt. We only recently were given the right to purchase alcohol on Sunday.

[brownhornet]

Originally Posted by -thomass

The casino in New Orleans was great when I visited recently. i don't get why anyone would oppose this, especially since it will raise money for the hope scholarship, but this is the Bible Belt. We only recently were given the right to purchase alcohol on Sunday.

Exactly this. Which is why I made the comment about the state still being backwards. And even now you STILL can only buy alcohol on Sunday after typical church hours are over.

[atltechdude]

Originally Posted by City Guy997S

Casinos are generally a bad idea. The premise is they are in business to take people's money, the "odds guarantee a win for the house!" People use the excuse it is "entertainment" but in reality it is a multi-billion dollar business designed from the doormat to the exit sign to separate suckers from their money!

I have spent money in casinos, even left the last trip to Vegas with about $3200 of"their money" but as a whole it isn't good long term for a community as it takes money out of the community. Atlantic City was on CNBC this week talking about how 50% of their casinos have gone out of business, the Borgata is the new top dog and is essentially cannibalizing the older casinos business.

If this were valid reasoning then you would also have to support banning the lottery since that is exactly the same thing. It's mostly poor and unintelligent people that lose their money in lotteries.

The only difference with the lottery is that your odds of winning something are even worse.