By Adrian Sainz — AP Business Writer
HOLLYWOOD, Fla. (AP) – Purse in hand and eyeglasses on, 80-year-old Ruth Spivak stood behind a velvet rope Jan. 28 at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, just steps away from the bright lights, musical chiming and big jackpots of the tribe’s first Las Vegas-style slot machines.
Spivak woke up at 7:30 a.m. and came down from Delray Beach to get in position. She was one of hundreds who showed up to feed dollar bills or casino debit cards into the 800 new slots at the Seminole Tribe of Florida’s casino in this Fort Lauderdale suburb.
”I want to try the machines and win money, like I do in Las Vegas,” said Spivak, who said she goes to the gambling capital about twice a year and hoped to win a ”couple hundred dollars.”
A flashy ceremony to introduce the new machines came just weeks after an agreement between Gov. Charlie Crist and Seminole Tribe leaders went into effect. Sought by the tribe for years, the deal allows expanded gambling for Vegas-style games such as slots, blackjack and baccarat at its seven Florida casinos.
Players of Vegas-style or Class III slot machines compete against the house rather than each other, a feature of the bingo-style Class II games already available at Seminole casinos. The Vegas-style machines are seen as more lucrative, both for players and casinos.
Crist’s agreement was challenged by House Speaker Marco Rubio and Senate President Ken Pruitt, who said lawmakers must approve any agreement he negotiates. The Florida Supreme Court was scheduled to hear arguments about whether the compact is valid Jan. 30.
”We believe that without appropriate legislative review and approval, the compact authorizing the Seminoles to expand gambling is invalid,” Rubio said in a statement e-mailed to The Associated Press. ”The Seminole’s actions this week are yet another reason why this important matter merits the Court’s urgent consideration.”
State leaders have said they did not expect the tribe to begin operating the slots so quickly.
”When the compact went into the Federal Register, it became law that we’re allowed to offer Class III devices,” said Jim Allen, CEO of Seminole Gaming. ”Obviously, we placed our orders immediately.”
Allen said two Nevada-based slots manufacturers, International Gaming Technology and Bally Technologies Inc., delivered the machines ”in weeks, when it usually takes months.”
As part of the compact, Florida has already received a $50 million payment from the tribe and is guaranteed $100 million in the first year. The state’s share is set to increase to up to $150 million by the third year of the agreement, and after that will be based on revenues. Many expect the state’s share to quickly add up to billions of dollars.
Allen and Seminole Chairman Mitchell Cypress praised Crist for pushing through the compact, which the tribe had failed to attain under previous governors such as Jeb Bush, another Republican.
”Gov. Crist may be a Republican, but the one Republican that ever realized that the people need in the state of Florida the moneys that we bring in,” Cypress said during a media event.
The tribe plans to install up to 15,000 slot machines around the state, though it will take some time to get them installed at its other six facilities. No blackjack or baccarat was yet available at the casino, which already offers poker.