Casino at Sandestin?

I hate casinos. :lie:

Can't they just turn the Emerald Grande into a casino? It looks like some sort of Las Vegas monstrosity.

NS

And the local results of the poll I posted is:

Yes
136
36.07%

No
241
63.93%

I guess people just don't want a casino at Sandestin.

I go with the local poll !!!!

I can't even imagine being a Sandestin homeowner, especially one who saved for years, bought a second home in a family oriented golf and beach resort, retired there thinking things would stay the same as how the place was sold to them- and now they face their community being known for something completely tacky like a casino. No matter how the new owner of Sandestin tries to make is some sort of "upscale gaming facility", it is what it is- a casino. In an upscale, family tourist destination. It is very strange how out of touch he is with his own community.

I have relatives in Sandestin. They are not fans, and are looking to leave. Hope they can find a casino-loving buyer for their huge house. This is not the scenario they imagined when they bought their second home, then lot, then built their forever house, so many years ago.

I like the occasional trip to casinos- they are funny and tragic at the same time- a good entertainment combo. But there are plenty of casinos already located in places that are more appropriate. Sandestin needs something (not sure what), but adding a casino is definitely not adding quality.

Why not build the casino on the Chat Holley purchase and have the county collect outrageous lease fees in perpetuity? Works in Tunica. I bet there might be an attorney or two who have been active in the area who might have some nearby land they'd be willing to sell or lease to facilitate that, though Cowford may be a bridge too far.

Toll or tax for new bridge? Heck, we might pay cash and have it gold-plated. With the left-over new tax receipts from taxing newly legalized drugs and prostitution, we can do away with the bed tax. And with vice legalized, we won't need as much in the way of jails and deputies as we might otherwise have thought. Why, this is a win-win if I ever saw one while drinking heavily before dark.

I am for the casino. I feel it can improve our local economy. Bring jobs. Increase quality entertainment and increase tourism.

Personally, I think thats what this bridge issue is all about. And the powers that be have already lined up for it.

I am for the bridge and against casinos. I can imagine some folks not showing up for work less than they currently do

I think Misty has it right. The sudden push for us to buy a bridge that we don't need is related to the need to feed a casino. No bridge, no casino!

Hate the casino idea, but I think we do need that bridge - not only do I hate driving over it, I was told it is mathematically impossible to evacuate Sowal during season.

This forum seems to have gotten an influx of local political morons recently. Did they shut down comments on the local newspaper sites?

We have been trying to get a 4-lane road out of here for a very long time. It is desperately needed for evacuation purposes. I imagine there are only a few people who really care about having a casino around here and they own the property in question. Silly to try and tie a bridge to a casino.

Hate the casino idea, but I think we do need that bridge - not only do I hate driving over it, I was told it is mathematically impossible to evacuate Sowal during season.

Perhaps that's because Walton County doesn't have an evacuation plan. No one has done the math.

This forum seems to have gotten an influx of local political morons recently. Did they shut down comments on the local newspaper sites?

The real political morons are those who seem to think that this money will just disappear never to return (perhaps with a better deal than the one currently being offered) and those who believe we should purchase a bridge we CAN NOT AFFORD including the BCC!!

English please.

It is typical for federal funding to be lost if states do not come up with the required dough.

Perhaps that's because Walton County doesn't have an evacuation plan. No one has done the math.

The state does the math. I believe it is the Division of Emergency Management. All this stuff is on line if you care to dig it out of the state web sites. Don't know how current it is, though. Last I heard the clearance time was 20 plus hours, and that was before the real estate boom.
The County EOC does have a hurricane plan. You can call them up and get this info too.
Mind you, I am not saying the plan is any good, but it isn't accurate to say nobody has done the math, etc.
Best thing to do is make your own plan. Wherever you are.

Anyway it is apples and oranges. We need a new bridge for safety and traffic flow, with or without hurricanes, and with or without casinos. IMHO, if the county had been doing its job the last 10 or 15 years, we would already have a four-lane bridge.

It is typical for federal funding to be lost if states do not come up with the required dough.

My point was that for them (the Committee) to say there will never be an opportunity again is just not believeable. Who gave the DOT the authority to hold Walton County hostage and tell us that if we don't take this deal right now its over? It may not be this particular money but I think the County should at least be able to tell the DOT to come back with a better deal than the one currently on the table.

20 hours is mostly because people wait till the very last minute to leave. Even with mandatory evacuations you can't force anyone to leave their homes. And you're right about the plans in place...god only knows how old they are and I agree with you on the County doing its job. Why can't we get the same bridges built without a tax increase that our neighbors on both sides of us have gotten?

To those who think a casino will bring high quality entertainment, I give you Tunica. Home of an endless stream of David Allen Coe concerts. Reunion tours by 70s top-40 bands. Cheesy 3rd rate comedians. They couldn't remotely conceive something like the 30A Songwriters Festival.

This forum seems to have gotten an influx of local political morons recently. Did they shut down comments on the local newspaper sites?

We have been trying to get a 4-lane road out of here for a very long time. It is desperately needed for evacuation purposes. I imagine there are only a few people who really care about having a casino around here and they own the property in question. Silly to try and tie a bridge to a casino.

Small people often start their discussion by insulting others views. It says much about them.

20 hours is mostly because people wait till the very last minute to leave.

That's only part of the problem. Were you here for Opal? Everyone waited until the last minute because that hurricane was not forecast to hit here until it changed course and intensified at nearly the last minute, during the middle of the night. The clearance time then, which was October, the off season, way exceeded 20 hours for some people. Forecasting is better now as to landfall but intensity forecasting is still iffy.
If you don't leave early you might not be able to leave. And at some point there could be so many people wanting to leave that you will have to choose between staying and possibly getting caught out on the road. Plan accordingly.

Also keep in mind that the bridge has to be shut down when there are sustained winds of 45 miles per hour or higher.

English please.

What don't you understand?