Legislative intent; land-based casino gaming activities

The legislature hereby finds and determines to be the public policy of the state: (1) That the most desirable method of promoting economic development and maintaining public confidence in the integrity of casino gaming operations is to regulate ownership interests in operations of the casino gaming operator such that the owner or operator has no incentive to: (a) Divert or skim revenues. (b) Engage in illegal activities or to reduce competition from other gaming entities. (c) Conduct land-based gaming operations so as to prevent guests from patronizing local businesses other than the official gaming establishment. (2) Creation of a special corporation, which is empowered to issue bids and enter into contracts for the conducting of gaming activities is a useful economic development tool which can promote general economic development, increase employment, produce direct and indirect state and local revenues, and otherwise stimulate the overall economy of large metropolitan areas of the state and the tourism and hospitality industries therein. (3) That all persons involved with the proposed casino gaming operation, including manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors of certain gaming devices and equipment, shall therefore be licensed, regulated, and controlled in such a manner as to accomplish and promote the above public policies and, in general, to protect the public health, safety, morals, good order, and general welfare of our citizens. (4) That the most effective method of obtaining the above public policies and objectives described in this Section is to provide for the operation of a single official land-based gaming establishment by a nongovernmental entity as a contractor of and with the corporation so that the corporation and therefore the state derives revenues from the gaming operations in lieu of levying a tax upon the proceeds from operation of a large number of casinos.