In short: the idea of an Atlanta casino has been planted, but Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed is reluctant about it, in spite of differing, majority opinion.
I’ve already said that I am on the side of the fence that is against the idea of an MGM casino in Atlanta. I’m actually kind of surprised that that opinion is kind of echoed by what the mayor feels about it:
“I’m not there on gaming at all. I believe Las Vegas is in Las Vegas for a reason,” the mayor said. “I just have real issues setting a facility in Atlanta where working folks get off work and walk into a gaming casino.”
I mean, I still think Kasim Reed is money-grubbing moron, obsessed with sporting venues and the high probability that he’s profitting massively under the table with them, but I’m pleasantly surprised to see that he and I have a similar thought about a casino coming to Atlanta.
Ultimately, this is the real impetus to why I wanted to write this post, but at the same time, I would be remiss to not point out some other lol-worthy things brought up on his article. Namely, this particularly ironically silly quote from an alleged long-time resident of the neighborhood surrounding Turner Field, the proposed potential area for a casino once the Braves white-flight themselves to Cobb County:
“None of us want to live on frat row,” said one long-time resident.
The context behind this statement is that alternatively to a casino being built on the soon-vacated Turner Field property, would be that nearby Georgia State Unviersity wants to buy the land and turn it into a multi-use property which would contain sporting complexes, student housing and retail establishments.
Basically, this long-time resident seems to think that a casino crowd is preferable over college students. Obviously oblivious to the fact that lots of casino crowds ARE college students, but worse, because they’re often times fueled by comped alcohol.
I mean given the state of the Summerhill community now, pretty much anything is better than what it is now, which is a tragic ghetto.
In the end, it doesn’t matter what I think, or anyone else thinks, because money is going to drive the decision of what ultimately ends up there, whether it’s a casino, or a whole bunch of college town. Hopefully, those in charge of making that eventual decision think more along the side of the mayor and I, and hoping Las Vegas stays out in Las Vegas, instead of populating a piece in our city.
