Tribe and State Still Cannot Agree 

It has been three years since the slot machines have come to st1:State w:st="on"> Florida, and still there is no compact in sight for the Seminole Indian tribe and the state. They have gone back and forth numerous times, but neither side is willing to give up control. Many within the state wish that the legislature had simply let Governor Charlie Crist’s compact stand because the state would have been getting a lot of money and the tribes would have gotten their table games. It seemed like a win-win situation, but has turned out to be anything but. 

The legislature has spent more man hours on trying to come up with a new plan that it is ridiculous. The Senate Regulated Industries Committee has now come out and said that there are limits as to how much they are willing to compromise with the tribe. They said that they are not going to negotiate much more than they already have, and that enough is enough. They have also asked the state’s Attorney General to shut down the tribes’ slot machines and casino games until a compact is signed. 

The tribe is still running their slot machines and games under the first compact that they signed with Governor Crist. The tribe says that they are not going to sign any agreement that gives slot machines to any of their competitors outside of the Miami Dade and Broward Counties. They said that they are not going to give the state a dime of their slot machine revenue if they do not comply. 

The state replied that they will not accept the demands of the tribe, although their roles have reversed. Up until now it appeared that the House was ready to make a deal although last year they were not, and this year the Senate is holding things up and last year they wanted to pass it.