Colorado Working On Expanding Gambling

It is clearly evident that there is a common desire in Colorado to expand gambling in order to boost the economy. A Rhode Island company, Twin River Worldwide Holdings, is leading a group of Canadians to try and expand gambling to the Pueblo, Arapahoe and Mesa counties.

Meanwhile, others are trying to expand gambling on the Western slope while limited stakes gambling could be up for a vote soon. Since the state has already legalized the use of marijuana, Action 22, which is a regional group lobbying for gambling in the south of Colorado, feels that gambling should be expanded in the region.

Opposing these groups is the Colorado Gaming Association who already represents casinos in Central City, Black Hawk and Cripple Creek. Their objections are against the fact that the new casinos will be large Vegas–style casinos and that the initiative will give the Arapahoe Park owner a 5-year monopoly on Front Range gaming in the state.

As a result of this conflict of interest, existing hotels in the area such as the Monarch Casino Black Hawk has placed their intended expansions on hold until the final outcome of this initiative.

The Colorado Secretary of State’s Office has received two measures to allow table games, slots and video lottery terminals at the Aurora racetrack as well as two other future racetracks in Mesa and Pueblo counties.

The upside of this initiative is that the community would receive 2% of the casino profits as well as $10m in upfront fees while the State will receive $25M. Meanwhile, Trinidad is also considering gaming in the area and Tom Acre, the City Manager, has said that he will bring up this topic at the City Council retreat.