Survey finds GOP opposition to Pawlenty’s casino plan

The Associated Press

      MINNEAPOLIS - Gov. Tim Pawlenty's proposal for building two state-sponsored casinos at Canterbury Park has significant opposition from within his own party, according to a Star Tribune survey of legislators.

      Thirteen Republicans in the GOP-controlled House told the newspaper they oppose the two-casino proposal, the Star Tribune reported Sunday.

      Altogether, 60 House members - nearly two-thirds of those raking a position - told the newspaper they were against authorizing an Indian band and Canterbury Park to each run a casino at the track and send $300 million in licensing fees and a share of future profits to the state.

      That's seven votes shy of what would be needed to defeat the proposal.

      The newspaper also said 24 House members said they support it, 12 were undecided, and 38 did not respond.

      The Star Tribune said its survey doesn't necessarily reflect the way that the House members would vote on the measure if it reached the House floor. They were allowed to respond confidentially, asked only to share their sentiments based on what they know now. Also, more Democrats than Republicans replied.

      "The numbers don't look good," said House Speaker Steve Sviggum, R-Kenyon, who still predicted that the proposal would advance through the House Taxes Committee this week. "I'm not the type of speaker that twists arms. I certainly do try to gently encourage. Until it gets defeated, it's alive and well."

      Sviggum said the proposal's chances may have been hurt by the decisions by the Red Lake and Leech Lake tribes to back out, leaving only the White Earth Band on board. But he also cited lobbying and campaign contributions by Indian tribes protecting existing casinos from competition. And he said some members favor a single Canterbury casino, or racino, without tribal involvement.

      "I've heard some members say they would vote for the separate racino bill but the combination, one owned by the Indian tribes and the other owned by Canterbury, they would not support. I assume that is some of your 60."

      In the DFL-controlled Senate, where three-quarters of the members responded to the survey, a majority of the entire chamber - 73 senators - opposed the plan. Of the 22 Republican senators who responded, 11 opposed the proposal, nine favored it and two were undecided.