CENTENNIAL — Supporters and opponents of a ballot measure that would allow for a casino at the Arapahoe Park horse-racing track squared off Tuesday at a panel discussion at the South Metro Denver Chamber.
The panelists included former House Majority Leader Chris Paulson and Sean Tonner of Yes on 68, who both support Amendment 68, and Senate Minority Leader Bill Cadman and political consultant Rick Reiter, who oppose the measure.
Both sides sparred on the benefits and pitfalls of a casino that could be built at the horse track near East Quincy Road and east of E-470 should Amendment 68 be approved by voters next month.
Mainly, supporter say the amendment would mean $114 million annually for K-12 education and charter schools statewide by charging casinos a 34 percent fee on gambling proceeds. School districts have not supported the amendment.
“When this measure passes, we’ll see how many districts turn down the money,” Paulson said.
Rhode Island-based Twin River Casino, which owns Arapahoe Park, is the chief backer of Amendment 68.
Reiter noted that the lure of money for education is a “smoke screen” by a fledgling casino back east to expand to Colorado.
“If you want (money) to go to schools in Colorado, you don’t go to gaming in Rhode Island and ask them to help out,” he said.
Tonner noted that $9 million annually would go to Cherry Creek schools alone, which could then be bonded into another $60 million to $70 million.
Another topic was the impact a casino in the metro area would have on Colorado’s three mountain gambling towns.
Opponents argue that if one is built in Arapahoe County, revenues from those casinos would decrease by 30 percent in the first two years of operations. Tonner acknowledged that those estimates are “real” and that money “is going to disappear.” But he said Amendment 68 is a positive for more residents throughout the state.
Cadman was critical of ballot language that has no guarantees for infrastructure improvements for local governments, such as Arapahoe County and Aurora, which would be virtually next door to the proposed casino, if it doesn’t later annex the property outright.
“There’s no accountability you’re going to get X, Y, Z out of this,” Cadman said.
If Amendment 68 is passed, Arapahoe Park would be allowed to have a casino with 2,500 slot machines and 65 gambling tables. Casinos in Mesa and Pueblo counties also could be built but would first need racetracks that are open for five years before gaming could be introduced.
Carlos Illescas: 303-954-1175, cillescas@denverpost.com or twitter.com/cillescasdp