Some Orangeburg County lawmakers are supporting a proposal to build a $1 billion casino and resort in the Santee area.
“I think all our citizens are tired of the many years of all the talk and no action by outsiders to address the problems of the I-95 corridor,” Orangeburg County Legislative Delegation Chair and Senate Minority Leader Brad Hutto said.
The Orangeburg Democrat said a casino could bring an “economic renaissance” to the entire region.
“This is our chance to control our own destiny,” he said.
Greenville businessman and casino developer Wallace Cheves of Santee Development Corporation announced his plans to develop the resort and casino last month. He says it will entirely use private funds.
The company claims the casino will have a total impact of about a $8 billion on the state’s economy within the first 10 years, creating about 4,600 jobs and helping expand local tourism and business opportunities.
“It’s not a stretch to say this project can be as important to us as BMW has been to the Upstate,” Hutto said. “Our people, schools and businesses will benefit dramatically as people traveling on I-95 will no longer pass us by but make us a destination place to visit and spend their money.”
The developer claims the project would:
Bring in over $58 million in annual tax revenue.
Create 2,925 direct jobs, 813 indirect jobs and 880 induced jobs for a total of 4,618 annually.
Attract over four million annual visitors, including those from out of state.
CASINO BILL
Building a casino will require a change in the state’s law.
House Bill 4176, called the “I-95 Economic and Education Stimulus Act,” was introduced on the House floor March 6. It’s cosponsored by Rep. Justin Bamberg, D-Bamberg, and Rep. Gilda Cobb Hunter, D-Orangeburg.
It’s in the House Ways and Means Committee.
The bill would establish the South Carolina Gaming Commission that could award casino licenses in counties that contain a section of I-95 within their borders, including Orangeburg County.
The commission would oversee casino gambling in the state.
Bamberg said he has “long been in favor of eliminating government overreach in the gaming arena.”
“We should allow the citizens of each individual county to make their own decisions regarding whether they would like to allow gaming where they live,” Bamberg said. “It’s not that there is a problem with gaming or gambling, it’s that too many elected officials want the State of South Carolina to continue to enjoy its complete monopoly over gaming via the S.C. Education ‘Lottery.’”
“Gaming or gambling, as with anything, follows the mantra that too much of anything can be bad for you,” he said. “However, it’s not the government’s place to restrict the liberties and freedoms of people just because some folks don’t like something. That’s the very definition of big government.”
Cobb-Hunter said, “I like the idea of this venture being 100 percent private funding and zero state or local dollars being invested. The potential economic impact would be tremendous for the area.”
Cobb-Hunter hopes the project will be seen favorably by the General Assembly and the governor.
“We already have state-sanctioned gambling in the form of the state lottery and that this venture is 100 percent private funding with no tax dollars involved,” Cobb-Hunter said.
Sen. Jeffrey Zell, R-Sumter, said he wants to know more about the proposal before making a decision on it.
“I’m not willing to make any commitments to support this unless the people of the 36th Senate District show strong support for it,” Zell said. “Once we take on something of this magnitude, it is irreversible. I’ll be doing a lot of outreach to see where folks are at on this.”
Zell said he does recognize the potential economic benefits the project could bring to an impoverished area but said, “it must be done properly, with appropriate safeguards, addiction mitigation strategies, and community and educational reinvestment initiatives.”
Sen. Russell Ott, D-St. Matthews, said the proposed casino and resort is “a once in a lifetime opportunity” for the local community and the state.
“Tourism is a huge part of our economy and we need to capitalize on that in ways that will allow us to lower taxes on residents while still being able to pay for things like new roads and better schools,” Ott said. “I’m excited about the potential it has to create jobs and economic growth in an area that has largely been paid lip service with no real follow through.”
“People who live in rural areas are often overlooked,” Ott continued. “This is the kind of investment that has the potential to change that for everyone. I intend to do everything I can to make this a reality.”
COUNTY COUNCILS REACT
Orangeburg County Council Vice Chair Johnny Ravenell, who represents the Santee area, says has a guarded support of the proposal.
“I am not against it,” he said.
There will need to be appropriate restrictions in place, he said. “I would hate to see people get addicted to the gambling process if it will be legalized.”
Ravenell said infrastructure will need to be improved to handle such a venue.
“There will need to be more police protection, more fire protection, more EMS service that would need to be funded,”
Ravenell said. “I am hoping they will consider all that in the process.”
Orangeburg County Council Chairman Johnnie Wright Sr. said he believes the casino and resort could be of an economic benefit to the county and state if it is crafted right and will not cost residents.
Wright said there is already water and sewer in the area that could handle such a project. The biggest improvement needed will be the road infrastructure to handle the increase in traffic, he said.
Wright said the close proximity to Interstate 95 would help to ease traffic concerns as many will be able to quickly get on the interstate.
“It is right there in the middle of 95,” Wright said. “I think 80 percent of the money will come from outside of the county.”
As far as the morality of gambling, Wright said there will be “mixed feelings in the faith-based community.”
“I feel like people will do what they want to do,” he said. “A number of people play numbers now and they drive other places to gamble. It will continue whether it is here or not.”
Calhoun County Council Chairman James Haigler thinks the resort and casino would be a good thing for the county and the area.
“I don’t have any problems with it,” he said. “I think Santee is a growing area that brings in a lot of tourism.”
Haigler said growth is inevitable.
“We just can’t freeze up and think it is not going to come,” he said. “They are growing down there.”
A lot of people take their money out of state to go to casinos and it would be nice to keep the money closer to home, Haigler said.
SC BAPTIST CONVENTION
Dr. Tony Beam, policy director for the South Carolina Baptist Convention, said South Carolina Baptists will oppose the bill.
While “the promise of wealth” is attached to the bill, there is also harm, he said. “Casinos and gambling bring addiction to individuals. It brings pain and hurt to people’s lives.”
Beam said gambling “undermines the idea of working hard” and using talents and skills that provide meaning to life.
Beam said, as a pastor, he has spoken to people who have struggled with gambling and has watched it “ruin families and the people they love.”
“We want to see people prosper, we want economic opportunity for everyone and we want to see poor people are properly taken care of,” he said. “I don’t see virtue rising out of vice.”
The Orangeburg-Calhoun Baptist Association declined making an immediate statement, noting the proposal has not been adequately reviewed by the group at this point.
