Md.lawmakers watch as one W. Va. county considers table games

Maryland lawmakers are watching to see if voters in Jefferson County up the ante by adding table games to make the Charles Town Races & Slots casino more competitive.

The West Virginia county is holding an election one week from today, asking voters if they will allow table games at the popular resort.

The election comes about a year after Maryland voters said yes to slots in a referendum, but before any slots facilities have opened in the state.

Delegate Rick Weldon, an unaffiliated lawmaker who represents portions of Frederick and Washington counties, has been following the table games question.

The West Virginia line is only six miles from his house in Brunswick , and his neighbors frequently visit Charles Town.

"I think it's going to pass, and I think part of the logic that they're using to advertise is that it will put them in a further competitive advantage over Maryland, if Maryland ever gets its act together," Weldon said.

He expects that even if Maryland opens its planned slots casinos, Frederick County residents will still choose to go to Charles Town because it is closer.

The locations identified for Maryland slots are in Baltimore city, Allegany, Anne Arundel, Cecil and Worcester counties. Slots are likely to go to Worcester County first, as Ocean Downs is the furthest ahead, Weldon said.

Weldon and other lawmakers think next Saturday's table gaming election is one of a series of steps surrounding states are taking to be more competitive with Maryland -- for instance, Delaware's recent decision to add sports betting.

However, Sen. David Brinkley, a Republican who represents Frederick and Carroll counties, said the delay in Maryland's implementation of slots is far more damaging than other states adding new gaming features.

That delay began when Maryland lawmakers chose not to implement slots under Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr., a Republican, and is continuing due to high tax rates and a slow economy, Brinkley said.

"Whatever happens with the referendum, I don't think it is going to help or hurt Maryland slots significantly, because it's already been damaged enough," Brinkley said.

Other lawmakers think that if these trends continue, Maryland will look to add table games of its own.

"What this really means is in a pretty short time you're going to start to have a push for table games in Maryland now, too," said Sen. Alex Mooney, a Republican who represents Frederick and Washington counties. "This is why I opposed slots to begin with -- it would just become a competition."

On its website, Charles Town estimates table gaming will bring 500 new jobs and the Jefferson County Board of Education will receive nearly $4 million from table game revenue in fiscal 2010.

More than $10 million in tax revenue will go to the county and municipalities of Jefferson County annually, the website states.

Delegate Sue Hecht, a Frederick County Democrat, said it remains to be seen how big an effect adding table games to Charles Town will have on Maryland's move toward gambling.

"It's all competition so it's got to make a difference," Hecht said. "How much, since we don't have anything going, I'm not sure what it would mean."

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