Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine made it known on Monday that he does not want the hotel developer or operator for a proposed Miami Beach Convention Center hotel to be involved with any gaming operations now — or ever.
“The city of Miami Beach is anti-gaming,” Levine told the Miami Herald. “Anyone can bid on this project as long as they align philosophically with Miami Beach.”
At 4 p.m. Tuesday, the City Commission will meet at City Hall to discuss the hotel project, which still needs a final approval from 60 percent of Miami Beach’s voters.
According to the Miami Herald, Levine believes a major casino would hurt Miami Beach’s tourism industry, whether it is a “5000-room casino hotel in downtown Miami which is going to hurt and destroy” small businesses, or a casino resort on Miami Beach “that will take away from the restaurants and all the other hotels.”
Genting and Fontainebleau are two companies that reportedly want to build casinos. Turnberry Associates is Fontainebleau’s parent company. Levine told the Miami Herald the companies can bid, “as long as they agree to the terms.” [Miami Herald] — Kristina Puga