Bill introduced Monday night would provide state support for casino project in Jackson

A state legislator from Senatobia filed a bill Monday that would provide state support to develop a casino property on the Pearl River in Jackson.

Rep. Trey Lamar, who represents Lafayette and Tate counties and who is the chair of Ways and Means in the House, filed House Bill 1989 on Monday. The bill was referred to Ways and Means.

The full committee of Ways and Means was scheduled to meet at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday.

As first reported by Mississippi Today, the 38-page bill would provide for a “Capital City Project Fund” that would allow the state Department of Finance to issue bonds and authorize loans for a casino. The bonds would not exceed $10 million. The bill does not mention a cap on loans.

The casino and other developments would be located, according to the bill, within 6,000 feet of the state capitol along the Pearl River in the downtown area of the city and within the Capitol Complex Improvement District.

The bill goes on to stipulate that it would be owned by one or more persons already owning or operating a licensed gaming establishment and that the project would have a minimum capital investment of $500 million.

If the measure passes, it would allow for special treatment not shown any other previous casino project.

Mississippi, since legalizing gambling in 1990, has had a policy of using a free market system for developers. This bill would ignore that policy.